Gwalior: Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Sunday said Sanatan Dharma teaches love and non-violence while assuring equal rights for all citizens under the Constitution.
Addressing an event, he said India and Sanatan Dharma follow a tradition that anyone born in this land is entitled to all rights.
"Sanatan Dharma has followed the path of love, truth, and non-violence, and based on these principles, the Constitution has given equal rights to every citizen. Christianity, Islam and many other faiths came here," he added.
"There were political wars but no religious wars in this country. This is the tradition and history of India, as Swami Vivekananda also said," said the former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh.
He said that when India became independent, Mahatma Gandhi had advised the Congress to focus on constructive work.
"Sanatan Dharma is based on the principle of live and let live. These are India's values. Unfortunately, religion is being used as a political weapon across the country," he said.
When religion is used to seize power, it is "adharma", he said, adding that hatred is being spread in the name of religion.
"There is a difference between religion and religious bigotry. While religion shows the path of humanity, bigotry teaches hatred. Harmony is the only way to keep the country united," the Rajya Sabha member added.
He said Mahatma Gandhi devoted his life to the freedom struggle and achieved independence through truth and non-violence.
"On the day the country attained freedom, Gandhi was not in Delhi but in Noakhali, trying to persuade Hindus and Muslims to maintain peace during riots," Singh added.