Special Correspondent
NewsBits.in
Bhopal: Bhopal’s veteran daughter and Rajya Sabha member from Madhya Pradesh Najma Heptullah on Tuesday evening resigned from the Narendra Modi cabinet at the centre, reducing the representation of the state marginally.
Najma, born in Bhopal in 1940, was the minorities’ affairs minister. Some other minor changes were brought about in union cabinet, just a week after a major reshuffle on July 5.
Minister of state for minorities’ affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was elevated and given independent charge of the ministry. Minister of state for heavy industries GM Siddeshwara also resigned.
Another minister of state Babul Supriyo was relieved of his charge in ministry of urban development, and ministry of mousing & urban poverty alleviation. He was reassigned the portfolio of ministry of heavy industries & public enterprises.
The word is that Heptullah has been asked to resign as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP’s policy of not having ministers of over 75 years age. Similar policy is applicable to states too.
However the fact that another minister small and medium enterprises Kalraj Mishra, who recently turned 75, has not put in his papers, raises questions about Heptullah’s exclusion.
Speculations that Heptullah and Mishra would be dropped from union cabinet during July 5 reshuffle were rife, but did not happen. Heptullah was on a two-week break in US then.
The veteran leader was born in Bhopal and is grand-niece of legendary freedom fighter Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. She is also second cousin of actor Amir Khan.
