Mangalore: Religious Leaders Should Strive Together for Achieving Harmony - Pejavar Swamiji
Pics: Dayanand Kuukaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Manglore (MM/SP)
Mangalore, Jul 5: Violence, hatred and clashes never beget solutions to problems. Religious harmony alone can install peace and bring prosperity to the country. Religious leaders of all the religions should come together to make a concerted effort to achieve harmony in the society, advised Sri Vishweshateertha Swamiji of Udupi Pejavar Math.
Speaking at ‘Souhardotsava,’ organized by Manava Souharda Vedike in the city Town Hall on Friday July 4, he opined that mutual mistrust and an air of supicion that prevails among people from different religions is the main cause for the sporadic clashes in the society. This panic and the reaction born out of this panic, is not restricted to India alone, but is prevalent all over the world. Coming together of all the religious leaders can send a message of security and release the all pervading feeling of fear, mistrust and panic from among the people followin different belief systems, he opined.
'Love is like water. If it gets stagnated, germs breed in it. Therefore, it should flow continuously crossing all the barriers like race and religion,' he exhorted.
Moulana H I Abusufyan Madani, Khateeb of Bajpe Jumma Masjid, explained that majority of the people of the district were deprived of education, food and a good life four decades ago. Now the situation has changed completely. Everyone is now self sufficient in food. But people have taken to popping in sleeping pills to be able to have sound sleep devoid of tensions, he surmised.
Islam has never propagated any attack on other religions or clashes between religions. Even Jihad is meant only for self-protection and does not propagate or support attack on innocent people. The political leaders for their own benefits however, are misleading the people in the name of religion. Therefore, one should be careful before blindly following what the politicians utter, he cautioned.
Msgr Denis Moras Prabhu, Vicar General of Mangalore Diocese, said that all the living beings are the children of the God. Every one should experience the existence of love God within oneself. Sacrificing for others and forgiving people can lead one towards peace and prosperity in the society, he opined.
N M Haris, president of Manava Souharda Vedike, who was elected a legislator from Shantinagar constituency, Bangalore in the recent assembly election, was felicitated on the occasion.
A Sadanand Shetty, president of Shri Devi Educational Trust, presided over the function.
MLAs U T Khader and Yogish Bhat, BJP district president Monappa Bhandary, Kannada Sahitya Parishat district president Pradeepkumar Kalkura, Hyder Partipady, Devdas Kapikad and J S Noronha were present on the dais.
G A Bava welcomed the gathering. Rahim Uchil compered the programme.