New Delhi, Feb 17 (Agencies) : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday reached out to the Christian community across the country, saying his government will ensure "complete freedom for all religions."
"My government will not allow any group, belonging to majority or minority, to incite hatred against other communities." Modi said at a function called by the Catholic church to celebrate the recent elevation to sainthood of two priests from Kerala.
This is the first time the Prime Minister has spoken on the recent vandalisation of Christian places of worship in Delhi, and comes closely after the BJP's drubbing in the Delhi elections.
"My government will give equal respect to all religions", Modi said in his first words of assurance to the minority community ever since the attack on churches began in December.
"My mantra is development. In simple terms, food on every table," Modi said requesting the cooperation of all communities for his government's efforts.
"It is the duty of the government, be it run by any party, to protect all faiths," the Prime Minister said.
Finance minister Arun Jaitley speaking at the function, termed the recent attacks on churches as "unacceptable aberrations."
"Those who perpetrate such attacks have no place in India," Jaitley said.
There have been five attacks on churces and a burglary at a convent school since December. On February 2, St Alphonsa's Church in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj area was vandalised.
A Catholic church was vandalised by two unidentified men in west Delhi's Vikaspuri on January 14, weeks after the home ministry directed Delhi Police to install CCTV cameras inside and around all religious places.
On January 3, the Christmas Crib at Rohini's Church of Resurrection was mysteriously burnt. The windows of Our Lady of Fatima Forane Church in Okhla were broken during evening mass on December 7 last year by unidentified persons.
Unidentified men broke into a convent school in south Delhi last week, stole some money, damaged the security cameras and ransacked parts of the building including the principal’s office.