New Delhi
Religious and spiritual leaders from across the world praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s role in bringing around peace and harmony to the world at the Vishwa Sadbhavana (World Peace) program organized in Melbourne, Australia on Sunday.
Speakers, representing different faiths and communities, said the exercise of speaking to each other on the theme of peace and harmony was a very useful experience.
Jason Wood, opposition MP, and the Shadow Minister for Community Security, Migrant Services, and Multicultural Affairs in Australia, said that having religious leaders sending out positive messages around the world was an important development.
The event was attended by several dignitaries including Satnam Singh Sandhu, Patron-in-Chief of the NID Foundation, Manpreet Vohra, High Commissioner of India to Australia, Philip James Huggins, Bishop of the Anglican Church of Australia, Dr. Tariq Butt, a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Victoria.
The Sadbhavna program is an initiative of the NID Foundation to carry forward the message of “world as one family’ to every corner of the globe in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.
Religious leaders, intellectuals, scholars, preachers, and researchers participated in the event. Satguru Uday Singh, spiritual leader of Namdhari Samaj, said that religions unite everyone and that the meaning of each religion is love and peace.
Satnam Singh Sandhu also presented the book ‘Heartfelt Legacy to the Faith.’ The book is based on the contribution of and work done by PM Modi for the Sikh community.
He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for being the most progressive and secular leader of India.
Sandhu said that people of different communities and religions have lived in India for centuries. “We all believe in communal harmony.”
He said that in the last nine years under the leadership of PM Modi, India has moved fast on the path of becoming a developed nation and becoming the fifth-largest economy in the world.
Like many other countries, all the communities in India have complete freedom to practice their faith and religion. All citizens enjoy common opportunities without any discrimination of caste, creed, or religion. Not only this, but they also feel safe under the leadership of PM Modi.
Praising the Modi government, he said that there is a clear difference between the development work done in the country in the last 9 years and the work done in the previous 65 years.
The world has made immense development in every field, but peace can only come through religion. We should focus on religious harmony and world peace. Regional differences should be transcended and everyone should be motivated to do so.
Philip James Huggins, Bishop of the Anglican Church of Australia, said that the Sadbhawna event had the spirit of friendship and love. “The relationship between India and Australia has blossomed under the leadership of PM Modi. We have recently seen cricket diplomacy between the two countries. There is a beautiful feature of Indian Democracy is inclusive participation of different communities in each other’s festivals and rituals,” he said.
“I do not adhere to the narrative being built against India that minorities are being targeted. He also said that In India the majority population makes it easier for the minority communities to live together and progress and India is both spiritual and secular”.
Sitesh Bhojani, BAPS Trustee Australia said, “PM Modi is not uniting India as a country but he is taking the entire world as one family. He has changed the global image of the country and has also been instrumental in taking Indian Culture, Practices and Civilizations spread through YOGA, which today is practiced and celebrated in 120 countries through International Yoga Day.”
Abhijeet Bhide, a Member of Hindu Council Australia, said, “Events like Sadbhavna can counter the anti-social and anti-India events happening across the world, where religious leaders of different communities can come together on a common platform to deliver the message of communal harmony to the people of their respective community.”
James Huggins said that he does not agree with the narrative of minorities are being targeted in India.
Dr. Tariq Butt, a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Victoria, who hails from Pakistan and now lives in Australia, said that this event is a great initiative. “There is a platform to bring Hindu and Muslim communities together.”
He said that PM Modi is doing the right thing by encouraging all communities to come together to promote harmony and peace. He said that PM Modi has charisma and that is why people are following him regardless of their religious leanings.
