Assam scraps namaz break | Govts must protect all religions: Farooq Abdullah
He said the people of Jammu and Kashmir must also respect and protect the people of every religion
Indian governments must protect every religion, National Conference (NC) president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah said on Saturday (August 31).
Abdullah spoke in Srinagar a day after the Assam Assembly axed a two-hour 'namaz' break provided to Muslim legislators on Fridays.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday that the state Assembly would discontinue the two-hour break.
Farooq on Indian values
"This country is known for unity in diversity. We have every religion and every language, be it Tamil Nadu, Kashmir, Bengal or Maharashtra,” said Abdullah.
“Any state, every state has a different culture, and that is why India is a federal structure and we have to protect every religion.
"When the time comes, it will change. Nothing is permanent. Good things will prevail again. We will tell them, let our government come, not to indulge in such activities," Abdullah said.
Farooq’s appeal to Kashmiris
He said the people of Jammu and Kashmir must also respect and protect the people of every religion.
"We have to take care of people from every religion. When our approach towards them is good, then it will be good across the country," he added.
He also congratulated the former members of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami for contesting the assembly elections.
Abdullah paid obeisance at the Sufi shrine of Sheikh Hamza Makhdoomi and prayed for the end of "chaos in the country" and strengthening of brotherhood between different communities.