The government on Tuesday sidestepped queries in Parliament about the number of meetings of the National Integration Council held under the BJP-led NDA dispensation saying such meetings are scheduled as per requirement and convenience.The last recorded meeting of the Council, which is mandated to advance communal harmony and address casteism and regionalism, happened under late prime minister Manmohan Singh on September 23, 2013.The Council has not met since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power.Answering a question about the NIC in Lok Sabha, the government said, “Meetings of the National Integration Council (NIC) are convened as per requirement and convenience. There is no specified time interval for convening meetings of the NIC. Issues of communal harmony and national integration are addressed by the government.”The reply came from Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai in response to a question by AIMIM MP Asadudin Owaisi.Owaisi had asked the dates on which meetings of the NIC have been held since 2013; and if no meeting was held, then why.He also asked whether any review has been undertaken regarding the role and relevance of the NIC in addressing issues of communal harmony and national integration.