Dr Najma A Heptulla

Minority Affairs
Dr. Najma Heptulla (born 13 April 1940) is an Indian politician, and is the Minister of Minority Affairs in the Government of India. She is a former vice president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and a five time member of the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of the Indian parliament, between 1986 and 2012, and Deputy Chairperson, Rajya Sabha for sixteen years. She was a member representing Rajasthan from July 2004 to July 2010. She was nominated by the BJP for the Rajya Sabha in 2012 from Madhya Pradesh, and assumed her office on 24 April 2012.She is a grand-niece of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, a prominent Indian freedom fighter. She is also a second cousin to actor Aamir Khan. She contested the 13th vice-presidential election held in August 2007 but lost to Hamid Ansari by 233 votes. She took oath as a cabinet minister in the Narendra Modi headed government on 26 May 2014.Heptulla was appointed as Minister of Minority Affairs in newly elected prime minister, Narendra Modis cabinet on 26 May 2014. She said that minorities needed a level playing field in Indian society, but reservation is not the solution as it kills the spirit of competition. She went on to comment that she considered parsis a minority, but not Muslims.