Heptulla, a former Congress leader, also accused the previous Congress-led government of talking only about the sentiments of minorities.
"I have one principle in life, I should not hurt anybody's sentiments. You are talking about the sentiments of minority community. Shouldn't we also think of the sentiments of the majority community," Heptulla said when asked about the ban on beef in some states during a press conference organised on the occasion of inauguration of Central Waqf Bhawan here.
"What is there, after all, in food? You can eat anything. But if you are prohibited to eat one thing why should you feel so hurt? By hurting some other people's sentiments you eat it, it is not fair. I am of that view.
"Unfortunately, the previous government had always talked of the sentiments of minority. But, we should also look at the sentiments of my neighbour," she said.
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Terming as "unfortunate" the recent incident of communal violence in Atali village near Faridabad in Haryana, Heptulla said such incidents should not happen.
She also said that the constitutional principles have to be upheld and the government should act against those who work against the spirit of the Constitution.
To a question on encroachment of Waqf properties, Heptulla said presently, a Bill in this regard was with the Standing Committee of Rajya Sabha, which would provide the required powers to remove illegal encroachers from Waqf properties.
Heptulla, however, said that these encroachments would not have happened in the first place had proper attention been paid on this issue in past six decades.
She said Modi government was honestly trying to do things which earlier only appeared to happen on paper.