Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu said on Monday, 3 January, that every person has the right to practice and preach their religion and that he was strongly against “attempts to ridicule other religions and create dissensions in society.”
At an event marking the 150th death anniversary of Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara in Kottayam, Kerala, he said that hate speech goes against “the country’s culture, Constitution and ethos”.
Practice your religion but don’t abuse and indulge in hate speech and writingsVice-President Venkaiah Naidu
Naidu further said that secularism is in the blood of every Indian and the country commands respect from across the world for its culture and heritage.
In The Spirit of Service
He also added that students must inculcate the values of service to the nation and people in order to create a harmonious society. He said that when the pandemic is over, the government and the private sector must work together to make at least 2-3 hours of service mandatory for students.
Paying respects to Saint Chavara in Kottayam on Monday, who was a 19th century Catholic priest and a reformer, he said, “Today, we need a Chavara in every community — a towering individual with a vision to unite all sections of society socially and culturally, and take the country forward.”
He urged the states to take inspiration from Kerala in the field of women empowerment, education and social justice.
Vice-President Naidu added that states must ensure that development reaches the most impoverished, economically backward groups in society as highlighted in the philosophy of activist and reformer Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya.
(With inputs from The Indian Express and News18)
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