Meet Danish Azad Ansari, the lone Muslim face in Yogi Adityanath-led UP government

Lucknow: On Friday (March 25), Yogi Adityanath began his second tenure as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. In the new Yogi-led Uttar Pradesh government, Danish Azad Ansari is the only Muslim face in the cabinet.

Born on May 30, 1988, Danish is a native of Apayal village in Bansdih Assembly constituency of Ballia. Danish did his schooling at Ballia's Holy Cross School. Ansari replaced Mohsin Raza, who served as the minister of state for minorities' welfare in the previous Yogi Adityanath government. Danish, 32, had joined the ABVP in 2010 when he was a student at Lucknow University, from where he completed his graduation. He has done his Masters in Public Administration and Quality Management. He was nominated to the Urdu Language Committee in the Yogi government in October 2018, having the minister of state status. Danish was appointed the general secretary of the minorities cell of the BJP just before the Assembly elections.

Currently, Ansari is not a member of either house of the UP legislature." I thank the party for giving an ordinary party worker like me such a big opportunity. I thank them for this. I would discharge my duties with full honesty," he told PTI. When asked whether getting the ministerial berth was unexpected, he said, "No, this was not the case. The BJP recognizes the hard work of each and every worker. For me, it is a symbol of the trust reposed by the party in its dedicated worker."

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He also claimed that the faith of Muslims in the BJP has increased. "The welfare schemes run by the BJP are benefitting the Muslims. This government does not ask anyone's caste and religion before giving them benefits of the schemes. The BJP works for basic facilities and necessities of the Muslims," he said.

(With PTI inputs)

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