Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Saturday attacked opposition over the increased legal marriageable age of women and said that “Talibani” mentality on women’s liberty, dignity, empowerment and constitutional equality will not be tolerated in India.
“I am shocked to see remarks of some people (on legal age of marriage). This is not happening for the first time in the country. From time to time, several countries, including Islamic, made changes to the legal marriageable age of women.
“But they start questioning us when we talk about women’s equality and empowerment. Such ‘Talibani’ thinking will not be tolerated in India,” Naqvi said, attacking critics after the Cabinet on Wednesday decided to increase the legal age of marriage for women from 18 to 21.”Those who opposed making the social evil of ‘Triple Talaq’ a crime or raised questions on removal of restriction on Muslim women to perform Haj with Mehram only and creating commotion on the Constitutional equality regarding age of marriage of women are ‘professional’ protesters,” Naqvi told an event organised to commemorate the ‘Minorities Rights Day.’
Education of women and social empowerment is important, he observed.
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Naqvi said that since the Narendra Modi-led government came to power, it has ensured significant reforms and inclusive development of all sections of the society, including the minorities. The minorities have immensely benefited from various government schemes, he said.
Attacking Pakistan, the Minister said: “Pakistan has become a factory of terrorism. Minorities are being targeted there. They are unsafe there. So, the Modi government brought the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) to give citizenship to persecuted minorities.”
The CAA was passed by Parliament on December 11, 2019. It aims to facilitate grant of citizenship to migrants belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who entered into India on or before December 31, 2014.
It was notified on December 12, 2019 and came into force on January 10, 2020.
Union Minister of State for Minorities John Barla, National Commission for Minorities Chairman Iqbal Singh Lalpura and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
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