All communities are safe in India: Haryana minister

GURGAON, January 17: A media commission should be set up to safeguard the interest of journalists. Stating this Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Mukhtiar Abbas Naqvi said there was an urgent need to constitute such a body as the existing ones cater only to the needs of the print media.

Addressing the 20th annual convention of the Haryana Union of Journalists, Nqvi lauded the role of media for its functioning as a watchdog. Commenting upon reports of attacks on a minority community in Gujarat and Karnataka, Naqvi said that such allegations were absolutely unfounded. He added that not even a single communal outburst has taken place in the reign of the present government and all communities were safe. Speaking about his recent experience in an Arab nation where people placed queries before him about the status and safety of the minorities in India, Naqvi said that he was shocked as their assumptions were based on rumours. He said that such rnumours tarnish the image of the ruling party and bring bad name to the country.