New Delhi: Referring to Muslims who rejected the two-nation theory to stay back in India, Mehbooba Mufti, PDP MP and BJP alliance partner, told Lok Sabha on Friday, that "nobody can ask them to leave. For, this country owns them and they own this country."
"Let us make our country a showcase window of harmony and what true Islam is all about," said Mufti, quoted TOI.
In an obvious reference to the attacks faced by Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan for the comments on intolerance, Mufti said, "To those who ask (Muslims) to go to Pakistan, I want to say that the country owns us and we own the country."
"The system may have failed but the people have never failed," Mufti said in her impactful speech regarding the spirit of tolerance in the nation. She added that the fact that India is a tolerant nation was "proved every time, whether it is after Dadri recently, or Bhagalpur or Gujarat or any other riots…"
Mufti said that the reason behind this was "also because the Hindu majority (community) is very tolerant. Babasaheb (Ambedkar) must have taken tolerance from Hinduism. The way Hinduism has tolerance, perhaps no one has it. The way historians, authors and scientists have been protesting and returning their awards… the way they came out in protest keeps the nation alive. I salute that India," she said.
Mufti praised Ambedkar extensively on his foresight when preparing the Constitution. She said that "unlike the present day politicians who think about next election", Ambedkar's "thought about future generations while drafting the constitution" is evident in its inclusiveness.
"He gave us an inclusive Constitution… Jammu and Kashmir was the only Muslim majority state which was part of India…" said Mufti, citing that the Article 370 of the Constitution which grants special autonomous status to J&K was formulated "with understanding and sensitivity". It is steps like this which go to show "our nation is the most tolerant nation", remarked Mufti.