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Radical forces trying to create discord in the country: NSA Ajit Doval
Doval was addressing an interfaith conference organised by the All India Sufi SajjadaNasheen Council (AISSC), to discuss ‘growing intolerance’ in India.
Some “radical forces” are trying to create an atmosphere of discord in the country, and to counter that, leaders from all religions will have to come together, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval said on Saturday.
Doval was addressing an interfaith conference organised by the All India Sufi SajjadaNasheen Council (AISSC), to discuss ‘growing intolerance’ in India.
At the conference, religious leaders also passed a resolution calling for a ban on groups like the Popular Front of India (PFI), for allegedly indulging in anti-national activities.
While addressing the round-table dialogue, the NSA said that a few people in the garb of religion and faith are trying to create animosity, and that is not only affecting the atmosphere of the country but also have international ramifications.
“The major reason behind this is that a vast majority of people in the country remain silent and don’t strengthen their voices against such radical forces. If we want to counter such forces, we can’t just be mute spectators. We will have to work together to resolve our differences on the ground,” he said.
Doval requested the religious leaders to come together and create a mutual feeling among the citizens that “we will not allow anyone to compromise the integrity of our country”.
“We will have to make every section of the society in India feel that we are together as a country, and we are proud that every religion can be professed with freedom here. We should also make them realise that they have an important role to play in the development of the nation,” he said.
Doval said that religious leaders should not permit some people’s or groups’ vested interests to disturb the harmony of society.
“We have to fight this battle not just for us but for the generations to come. What kind of country do we want to create for them? We have to preserve the values of our country for them.”
“We need to develop a strong belief among every countryman that they are safe in India. We all are on the same ship. We will sail together. We will sink together. If the country suffers, none can get any benefit out of it,” the NSA said.
The resolution passed by the religious leaders, under the aegis of AISSC, strongly demanded action against alleged radical groups.
“Organisations like PFI and any other such fronts, who have been indulging in anti-national activities, pursuing divisive agenda and creating discord among our citizens must be banned and action initiated against them as per the law of the land,” the resolution stated.
The resolution also demanded the government to “curb the menace” of the social media platforms t used for promoting hatred against any religion and its followers.
In the backdrop of former BJP leader Nupur Sharma’s comments against Prophet Mohammed and the subsequent hate crime incident in Udaipur, the resolution further stated, “Targeting any God/ Goddess/ Prophets in any discussions/ debate by anyone should be condemned and dealt with as per law.”
The resolution also proposed to create a body, inclusive of all faiths, to spread the message of peace and harmony and fight against radical forces.
