Muslims don't vote for us, but we gave them sanctity: BJP leader Prasad

April 22, 2017

New Delhi, Apr 22: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today said Muslims do not vote for the BJP, but the government has given them "proper sanctity".

"We have got 13 chief ministers of our own. We are ruling the country. Have we victimised any Muslim gentleman working in the industry or service? Have we dismissed them? We don't get Muslim votes. I acknowledge very clearly, but have we given them proper sanctity or not?" Prasad asked at the Mindmine Summit here.

He was responding to a question related to development having an impact on culture and diversity. "We salute diversity and culture of India. There are two ways of looking at it. Let me be very frank today. There has been campaign against us for a very long time, but today we are here because of blessings of people of India," Prasad said.

In recent Assembly elections, the BJP scored an impressive win in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The party also formed government in Goa and Manipur. Its main rival Congress was able to get a clear majority in Punjab only.

As IT minister, Prasad said, he has visited many Muslim-dominated villages where many Muslim youth are running Common Service Centres which help people avail of government services through Internet.

The minister cited the example of Prime Minister Narendra Modi short-listing a Muslim tea garden labourer in Jalpaiguri, Karimul Haque, for his exemplary work.

Prasad said Haque has converted his motorcycle into an ambulance, rushes whosoever falls sick to hospital and in the process, has saved nearly 2,000 lives. "We never saw religion of Haque or whether he voted for us or not. If there are certain uncalled for voices, the Prime Minister addresses the concerns, the CMs (chief ministers) address concerns. Yogi (Adityanath) is a popular leader. You are seeing his instances of good governance and inclusive development," Prasad said.

The minister said he has issues with those in the Left and journalists spreading "hatred" against Modi.

"We have a problem with some of our friends. Mostly, the Leftist friends and journalists who entertain a pathological hatred against Narendra Modi. Good luck to them," Prasad quipped.

According to Prasad, the Left is "left out" all over the world and had been defeated in India. "They are left out in Bengal, are surviving in Kerala and Tripura, but the Left has got a very good campus in Delhi, which is the JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University) and I always say the Left also needs some consolation prize. So, JNU is their consolation prize, we don't mind that," Prasad said.

India is in the third phase of political evolution where people are looking for "politics of aspirational reality with good governance".

"People of India know they can unseat any political party howsoever popular any political leader howsoever popular. This realisation brings about a different kind of humility. You better learn to perform and trust people. Otherwise, they will show you the door and they have been showing the door," Prasad pointed out.

He is of the view that the politics of 'want' relating to breads and of 'identity' based on caste, community, religion and region is over now.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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