New Delhi, Jan 13 (IANS): Both majority and minority communities should work together to maintain harmony, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Monday.

"To maintain communal harmony, both majority communities and minorities have to work together to create an atmosphere of acceptance and harmony," the prime minister said while addressing the annual conference of state minority commissions here.

Without referring to any particular incident, the prime minister said: "In most parts of the country the relationship between majority and minority communities is harmonious, although there have been instances where this relationship has been put to severe test, especially of late."

"These aberrations tarnish the image of our country and our society. They cause pain and suffering to the affected people. They also disrupt the ability of large sections of our society to contribute to the rapid economic progress of our country."

Muzzafarnagar riots last year left nearly 40 people dead according to some estimates, and over 50,000 homeless.

Stating that secularism has been an "age old tradition", Manmohan Singh said we should be "cautious of people who work against India's secular thought by attempting to redefine secularism".

"Our strength as a country lies in our unity. We should be vigilant against forces that seek to exploit our diversity in religion, language and culture to divide our people," he said.

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