PM urges youth to respect each other’s traditions, views

Pitching for peace, unity and harmony against the backdrop of ‘intolerance’ debate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked people to respect each other’s traditions and views, saying its absence can obstruct development.

“We are a country with diversity. This is our big strength. Harmony is our strength,” he said while addressing the National Youth Festival here via video conferencing.

Underlining that his government is working for the development of the country, Modi said, “If we do not maintain harmony, a sense of belonging, we will not be able to make progress. If unity and harmony are not there, if we do not respect each other’s traditions and views, then there can be obstruction in the path of development.” 

He said prosperity, wealth and creation of employment will have no meaning if there is no peace, unity and harmony.

“So it is the demand of time that we maintain peace, unity and harmony. These are the guarantee for the country’s progress,” the PM told the gathering of youngsters collected for the four-day event to mark Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary.

He said India has shown to the world that the country with hundreds of languages, different religions and such diversity can live in peace. 

“This is our culture...We have grown up in this culture...We have to preserve this,” Modi said, invoking  Vivekananda’s teachings.

“We have to nurture unity and strengthen the bridge of harmony,” he added.

The comments assume significance as these came against the backdrop of ‘intolerance’ debate that was triggered following the killing of a Muslim man in Dadri in UP last year over beef-eating rumour.

PM Modi is likely to visit his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi and the state capital Lucknow on January 22. 

“We have started preparations for the visit of the Prime Minister at both these places for which a demand letter for providing 12 companies each of the RAF has been sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs,” IG, Law and Order, A Satish Ganesh said.

“We have also asked for four detachments NSG snipers for both these places and a detailed programme of the VVIP visit is awaited,” the IG said.