Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today stressed the need to strengthen the bonds of unity, amity and harmony in society and appealed to all religious sects to act with restraint and respect everyone.
The senior BJP leader said the country's long standing convention for openness to new ideas, tolerance towards other faiths and giving them respect was as old as Indian civilisation itself.
Singh was speaking at a civic reception accorded to Philipose Mar Chrysostom Mar Thoma Valiya Metropolitan on his 101 birthday celebrations here.
"Unity is our strength and we must work to strengthen the bonds of unity, amity and harmony in our society", Singh said.
He also appealed to all religious sects or societies to act with restraint and respect everyone.
The Minister said India stands united not because of one religion or some theological thought holding the political power or exercising control over the system, but because it provides space to peaceful co-existence of multiple thoughts of theologies.
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Indian tradition takes pride in giving freedom to have, to retain and to adopt a religion or belief, he said.
"Religion is a personal choice and it should always remain free from any coercion or allurement", he said.
Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi firmly believes in taking every section of society along and build a New India. The goal is 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas', which means 'Development with Unity', he said.
Pointing out that the dream of making India great can be realised only when people of the country are united, he said 'United we stand, Divided we fall'. ""