Najma Heptulla downplays NCM official's comments on situation of minorities

NCM official Ajoy Kumar had reportedly said that the country's situation was not allowing him to sleep peacefully

Union minister Najma Heptulla on Thursday downplayed National Commission for Minorities (NCM) official Ajoy Kumar's reported comments that the country's situation was not allowing him to sleep peacefully, saying he is going through a "bad period" on personal front.

"The person (Kumar) is going through a bad period, his wife is seriously ill. She has got cancer. His two children have gone into depression. He is under depression, I don't know why he made such a statement. But he also apologised after that," she told reporters here.

The Union minority affairs minister said she had enquired with NCM chairman Naseem Ahmad whether Kumar had indeed made such a remark, but was told the official had not used certain words in his speech as was reported.

"I spoke to the (NCM) chairman to ask if he (Kumar) had said anything such, the chairman said he (Kumar) did not use the word mahaul," she said.

Heptulla maintained Kumar, additional secretary for the "quasi judicial" NCM, does not report to her directly and the Commission is looking into the matter.

According to media reports, while delivering vote of thanks to Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi at the annual conference of State Minorities Commissions on February 24, Kumar had reportedly said the "situation in the country (of minorities) is not allowing him to sleep peacefully".

He also reportedly urged the government to "allow people live in peace".