NEW DELHI: Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Friday hit out at a Pakistani-origin MP of the UK's Labour party who urged British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to raise the issue of "Islamophobia" during his visit here, saying "don't convert your prejudiced agenda of 'India phobia' into Islamophobia".
Naz Shah, Labour Party MP from Bradford West and shadow minister for crime reduction, took to Twitter on Thursday to convey to Johnson that the UK's foreign relations must not just be based on trade and internationalism but also on human rights.
"My plea to the @10DowningStreet is to raise the growing issue of Islamophobia with the Modi Government," she said.
In a long series of tweets, Shah said the rising tide of "everyday hate and mob lynching" against Muslims in India is becoming worrying.
"I urge @BorisJohnson to read my thread, to stand up for human rights and stop embarrassing us on the international front with his ignorance. Bulldozing homes of minority Muslims in India, amid rising tensions is serious!" she said.
Hitting back at Naz, Naqvi said, "Please, don't convert your prejudiced agenda of 'India Phobia' into 'Islamophobia'. Every Indian citizen including Minorities is safe and secure in India."
"Co-existence" is our commitment and "inclusivity" is our culture, he said.
In her tweets, Shah said that in Karnataka, the court also upheld a state government order that banned headscarves (hijab) in classrooms.
Muslim women and girls in India are being told to choose between their faith and education, she alleged.
"The UK prides itself on human rights and successive UK Govt's have worked to protect the rights of women & girls worldwide. To be silent, whilst a minority Muslim population in India is being persecuted & Muslim women are at the centre of such hate, would be cowardice," Shah said.