Mohsin Raza (File photo)

LUCKNOW: Mohsin Raza , the only Muslim minister in the BJP government, on Tuesday said that the BJP was not an anti-Muslim party since Prime Minister Narendra Modi sports a beard which is generally considered an Islamic symbol.

Raza, who is a junior minister for haj and waqf , was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of the haj training and vaccination camp at the Ali Miyan Memorial Haj House in Lucknow on Tuesday.

"An environment has been created by people where BJP is considered an anti-Muslim party. It is not true. Had BJP been an anti-Muslim party, PM Modi would have not had a beard. A beard is generally considered to be a pious Islamic and Muslim symbol," Raza said.

He quoting a dialogue from a Bollywood film: "Islam mein dhaadi hai, dhaadi mein Islam nahi" (There is provision for a beard in Islam, but a beard does not mean Islam."

Raza also said it is high time that the word 'minorities' be put out of use as they total around 20 crore in population.

He said it is a different debate whether there should be a minority status or not, but that in his opinion, the word itself should be out of use.

