NEW DELHI: Some elements are trying to create an atmosphere that is vitiating the progress of India, said National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Saturday warning that country has to be on guard against forces conspiring to disturb harmony and create unrest in the name of religion and ideology. Speaking at an event organised by the All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council (AISSC) in Delhi, where religious heads attended to discuss and pass a resolution for peace and unity, urged all citizens to work together to overcome their differences.
“Some elements are trying to create an atmosphere that is vitiating the progress of India. They are creating acrimony and conflict in the name of religion and ideology, it is affecting the entire country while spilling over to other countries too ...,” Doval said. He stressed that to counter religious animosity “we have to work together and make every religious body feel like they are a part of India. We sail and sink together.” Doval also stated that there is an “atmosphere of conflict” in the world and the only way to tackle it is to “maintain the unity of the country together”.
“Instead of being mute spectators, we have to work on the ground on our differences along with strengthening our voices. We have to make every sect of India feel that we are a country together, we are proud of it and that every religion can be professed with freedom here,” said Doval. “The way India is progressing will benefit people from all religions,” the NSA added. All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council chairman Hazrat Syed Naseeruddin Chishty at the event called on banning radical organisations if there is evidence against them. “The need of the hour is to rein in and ban radical outfits.
Be it any radical organisation, they should be banned if there is evidence against them,” said Chishti. The aim of the conference was to have a rigorous discussion among the representatives of different faiths including Hindu, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jain on “rising religious intolerance”, the organisers said.