Asian nations must work for promoting non-conflicting views, says Kiren Rijiju

Asian countries and democratic societies must work together to preserve and promote non-conflicting traditions and democratic values, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Tuesday.

“We need to resolve our difference through peaceful dialogue, through better dialogue as we would say in India. We need to seek greater convergence in our mindsets. We need to distill the wisdom inherent in our Asian heritage to show us the way forward,” Rijiju said, addressing a symposium on ‘Shared Values and Democracy in Asia’ here.

The Minister of State for Home said that when the world is witnessing increasing levels of polarisation in conflict situations, democratic societies must work together to preserve and promote non-conflicting traditions and democratic values.

The symposium was jointly organised by New Delhi-based Vivekananda International Foundation and three Japanese organisations, including Japan Foundation.

Rijiju said there is enough room for all countries in Asia to prosper together but at the same time, a multitude of identities and interests have prevented many of them from achieving better results. “Dialogue holds the key to good relations and that for the 21st century to be the Asian century, democratic societies must work together to preserve and promote non-conflicting traditions and democratic values,” he said.

The symposium was a follow up to the Hindu Buddhist Global Initiative for Conflict Avoidance and Environment Consciousness held in New Delhi on September 3 and a part of the Global Hindu-Buddhist Initiative conceived during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan in 2014.

He said India is on Tuesday the world’s fastest growing large economy and its economic and social transformation “under the leadership of Modi is strongly rooted in the democratic ideals.” 

“Principles of democracy have been an integral part of India and Oriental civilisations and their spiritual traditions. The origin of democracy and democratic values in these societies can be traced back to the teachings of Buddhism, Hinduism and Shintoism and other philosophies which emphasised the collective good of society,” he said.