Modi govt begins 'Progress Panchayat' to bring Muslims, other minorities into mainstream of development

The Narendra Modi government on Wednesday decided to start 'Progress Panchayat' to bring people of minority communities into the mainstream of development in the country.

The Central government has decided to start the Panchayat from September 29 with the concept, and people of Muslim and other minority communites will take part in government's initiative. 

The government is going to launch the first edition of 'Progress Panchayat'from Mewat in Haryana from September 29.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not attend the first panchayat. Union minister Rao Inderjeet Singh will represent the Central government in the first 'Progressive Panchayat'.

The Modi government will organise 100 'Progressive Panchayats' in the next three months. The motto of this initiative is to solve the problems facing by the people of minority communities.

Officials of both state and Central governments will attend all editions of 'Progress panchayats'.
 
Congress attacks PM Modi

Accusing PM Modi of making a "U-turn" on his stand on minorities, Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Tuesday questioned Modi's role as Gujarat chief minister and expressed surprise that he had suddenly turned "spokesman" for the community.

Referring to Modi's remarks made at BJP's national council meeting in Kozhikode on Sunday, the Congress general secretary asked what Modi had done to empower the minorities when he was the chief minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014.

"The Prime Minister is speaking our language. It was very? surprising to know that Narendra Modi has suddenly become? spokesman for the minority community in this country," Singh? told reporters on the sidelines of a Congress meeting here.

He said, "The 'minorityism' which was the charge that was levelled?against us, now Narendra Modi is talking about empowering?the minorities. Did he empower the minorities when he was the?Chief Minister of Gujarat? Did he take action against those?involved in Gujarat riots?

"Is he not the same person who denied the Muslims of Gujarat the scholarship which was sanctioned by the government?of India? Is he not the same person who refused to? rehabilitate the Gujarat riot victims, is he not the same? person who sort of manipulated the prosecution in Gujarat riots? It is a complete U-turn," he said.