Modi Has Strongly Condmned Religious Fundamentalism

It is really praiseworthy that Mr. Narendra Modi has given a strong message to all Indians as well as to foreign countries that India is perfectly a secular country and do not permit an discrimination with any religion. He has allayed all confusion by delivering a strong message that fanaticism of any religious body or any individual will not be tolerated.

India under the leadership of Mr. Narendra Modi will focus on only growth and do all possible work for development, safety and security of the country. It is a indirect message to US President Mr. Obama  also who was preaching sermons to India only a few days ago to ensure non-discriminatory treatment with all people of all faith .

Incident of dismantling of a Hindu Temple today in one of USA town is to be condemned by all and it is expected that Mr. Obama who was trying to teach Indian government will first introspect and try to stop discrimination in his country on the basis of race, colour or religion and take all steps to stop any violent attack of People of origin of other countries and people of other faith and religion.

Message is loud and clear to  NON-BJP leaders  who falsely claim to be secular that Mr. Modi is undoubtedly a secular person .

PM Modi: Govt will not allow any group to incite hatred-Times of India-17.02.2015 4p.m.

NEW DELHI: In an all out effort to reach out to the Christians and other minority communities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured that his government won't allow any group to incite hatred. "My government will not allow any religious group belonging to the majority or minority to incite hatred against any group," Modi said while speaking at a celebration function of Elevation to Sainthood of Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Mother Euphrasia in New Delhi.

"We believe religion is personal choice of every citizen," Modi stressed, adding fanaticism will not be tolerated.

The Prime Minister, who has been accused by opposition and Christian groups of turning a blind eye to a string of recent attacks on five churches and a Christian school in Delhi, said his government "gives equal respect to all religions". "My government will ensure that there is complete freedom of faith and that everyone has the undeniable right to retain or adopt the religion of his or her choice without coercion or undue influence.

"My government will not allow any religious group, belonging to the majority or the minority, to incite hatred against others, overtly or covertly. Mine will be a government that gives equal respect to all religions," he said at a function here.

In a stern warning to fringe elements, he said, "We cannot accept violence against any religion on any pretext and I strongly condemn such violence. My government will act strongly in this regard."
"World is increasingly witnessing division and hostility on religious lines, this has become a matter of global concern. In this context the ancient Indian play of mutual respect for all faiths is now beginning to manifest in global discourses," said the Prime Minister.

Observing that the world is at crossroads, he said if not crossed properly it "can throw us back to the dark days of bigotry, fanaticism and bloodshed".

He further said that this harmonious convergence among religions could not be achieved even when the world entered the third millennium.

Invoking Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi, Modi said that equal respect for all religions must be in the DNA of every Indian. Seeking harmony, the Prime Minister appealed to all religious groups to act with restraint, mutual respect and tolerance in the true spirit of the ancient nation which is manifest in the Constitution and in line with the Hague Declaration.

Modi's remarks have come after US President Barack Obama said the "acts of intolerance" experienced by religious faiths of all types in India in the past few years would have shocked Mahatma Gandhi.
Here are some highlights of what he said: 1. The lives of Saint Chavara and Euphrasia are an inspiration not only to Christian community but to humanity as a whole

2.Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara & Saint Euphrasia, the whole country is proud of their recognition

3. Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara's contribution towards women empowerment was also noteworthy. Saint Euphrasia dedicated her life to prayer and devotion to God

4. Mother India gave birth to many religious and spiritual streams

5. The tradition of welcoming, respecting and honouring all faiths is as old as India itself

6. Our Constitution did not evolve in a vacuum, it has roots in ancient cultural traditions of India

Outrage in India after Hindu temple vandalized with hate message in US-17.02.2015

WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI: There has been strong reactions in India after reports of a Hindu temple being vandalized in the US.

A Hindu temple was vandalized with hate message and swastika spray-painted on its wall in the US state of Washington, the latest incident that has shocked the community ahead of the Maha Shivratri festival.

The incident happened when unidentified miscreants sprayed swastika and painted "Get Out" on one of the walls of the temple in the Seattle Metropolitan area. It is one of the largest Hindu temples in the entire North West.
The Snohomish County Sheriff's Department is investigating Saturday's incident as malicious harassment. Yesterday top county officials visited the temple.

"This kind of thing should not happen in the US. Who are you telling to get out? This is a nation of immigrants," Nitya Niranjan, chairman of board of trustee of the Hindu Temple and Cultural Centre, Bothell, Washington told PTI.

Today the temple is celebrating Maha Shivaratri, a festival dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Opposition leaders in India took a dig at the US over the incident.

Congress leader PC Chacko said, "They always say, they are pluralist and inclusive society, what happened is totally unacceptable."

"The US authorities must take stringent action against this and come out with a statement," he said.

Obama says religious intolerance in India would have shocked Gandhi; is Modi listening?-FirstWorld-06.02.2015
Washington: US President Barack Obama on Friday said the 'acts of intolerance' experienced by religious faiths of all types in India in the past few years would have shocked Mahatma Gandhi.

The comments by Obama came a day after the White House refuted suggestions that the US President's public speech in New Delhi in which he touched upon religious tolerance was a "parting shot" aimed at the ruling BJP.

"Michelle and I returned from India - an incredible, beautiful country, full of magnificent diversity - but a place where, in past years, religious faiths of all types have, on occasion, been targeted by other peoples of faith, simply due to their heritage and their beliefs - acts of intolerance that would have shocked Gandhiji, the person who helped to liberate that nation," Obama said in his remarks at the high-profile National Prayer Breakfast.

The US President, who has just returned from India, was referring to violence against followers of various religions in India in the past few years.

He, however, did not name any particular religion and said the violence is not unique to one group or one religion.

"Humanity has been grappling with these questions throughout human history. And lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ.

"In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow (racial segregation state and local laws) all too often was justified in the name of Christ," he said, addressing the gathering of over 3,000 US and international leaders.

"There is a tendency in us, a sinful tendency that can pervert and distort our faith. In today's world, when hate groups have their own Twitter accounts and bigotry can fester in hidden places in cyberspace, it can be even harder to counteract such intolerance.
"But God compels us to try.

"And in this mission, I believe there are a few principles that can guide us, particularly those of us who profess to believe," he said.

In a US-style Town Hall address in New Delhi on January 27, the last day of his India trip, Obama had made a strong pitch for religious tolerance, cautioning that India will succeed so long as it was not "splintered along the lines of religious faith".

The White House yesterday strongly refuted allegations that Obama's remarks on religious tolerance was aimed at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying the speech in its entirety was about the "core democratic values and principles" of both the US and India.

"We see people inspiring people to lift up one another to feed the hungry and care for the poor and comfort the afflicted," Obama said.

"We see faith driving us to do right but we also see faith being twisted and distorted. Used as a wedge or worse, sometimes used as a weapon."

Obama spoke out against the terrorism "from a school in Pakistan to the streets of Paris" and the rise in anti-Semitism in Europe, all "so often perpetrated in the name of religion."
"No god condones terror," Obama said. "We have to speak up against those who would misuse His name."