Minority or majority, PM's message

Narendra Modi with Cardinal George Alencherry at the event in New
 Delhi on Tuesday. Picture by Prem Singh

Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, TT, New Delhi, Feb. 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said his government would not allow any religious group to incite hatred in the country, speaking out for the first time after recurrent attacks on Christian institutions in the capital.

"My government will not allow any religious group, belonging to majority or minority, to incite hatred against others overtly or covertly," Modi said.

The Prime Minister was speaking at a programme organised by the Syro-Malabar Church here to celebrate the elevation to sainthood of Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Mother Euphrasia, the first minority community event that he has attended since taking office in May.

"Everyone has the undeniable right to retain or adopt the religion of his or her choice without coercion or undue influence," he continued, in an apparent reference to hate speeches and religious conversions by some organisations.

Sources said Modi had spoken to seniors in the Sangh before making his speech today.

"My government will ensure complete freedom of religion and faith and will always safeguard it," he promised.

The Prime Minister had held his silence even as five churches were attacked in the capital in two months. He acted after a Catholic school was attacked last week, asking the police commissioner to take "strict action".

Modi's summons to the police commissioner last week and the comments today follow close on the heels of the BJP's rout in Delhi, where minority votes consolidated behind the Aam Aadmi Party, and US President Barack Obama's two speeches in which he spoke against "religious intolerance" in India.

The Prime Minister today said equal respect for all faiths had long been a part of India's ethos. "Swami Vivekananda said we believe not only in universal toleration but we accept all religions as true. The tradition of welcoming, respecting and honouring all faiths is as old as India itself."

Describing India as the land of Gautam Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi, the Prime Minister said it was in the DNA of every Indian not to accept violence against any religion. "My government strongly condemns such violence."

He also invoked Rabindranath Tagore, saying he had inspired us to dream of a land "where the mind is without fear and the head is held high".

But Zafaryab Jilani, a member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, said: "Only lip service will not help in rebuilding the shattered confidence of minorities who are living in fear. What action has he (Modi) taken against his party MPs Sakshi Maharaj and Yogi Adityanath for making hate speeches against Muslims and Christians?"

The Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church, Cardinal George Alencherry, thanked Modi for taking action after the attack on the Catholic school but added that any new anti-conversion law would create animosity. After the controversy over ghar wapsi, BJP leaders, including party chief Amit Shah, had proposed bringing such a law.

Fr Mathew Koyical, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Delhi, said the community was happy with the Prime Minister's assurance but pointed out that it had come after two months of silence and on a platform that "we provided him".