By IANS,
New Delhi : The Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader who Sunday evening paid his first visit to the historical Jama Masjid here, urged global leaders to spread values of tolerance, peace and amity and held India as a model of communal harmony.
“Let us understand that all major religions have great potential in bringing peace on the earth. Respecting human values and thinking about humanity is a universal responsibility. There is a need to spread and promote secular values and harmony,” the Dalai Lama told an international anti-terrorism conference here.
The Buddhist spiritual leader spent around 30 minutes at the historic mosque in the heart of the capital and also participated in the evening prayers along with other dignitaries.
Sunday was the concluding day of the two-day anti-terrorism conference organised by the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (JUH) and the Jama Masjid United Frond (JMUH), the two city-based organisations dedicated to the welfare for Indian Muslims.
The Dalai Lama condemned the scourge of terrorism across the world and felt the need to refrain from pointing fingers at others for all forms of violence.
“This is wrong. We must preach values of tolerance, peace, harmony and brotherhood. This is what humanity is all about. Emotionally, mentally and physically, all humans are equal and the same. We should take care of one another. It is good for us,” he said.
The Tibetan spiritual leader also lauded India’s secular values and tradition and the level of religious tolerance the country has exhibited over decades, which makes “India a role model for the rest of the world”.
“India is the source of origin for many major religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. As a nation, the country has been home to followers of religions like Zoroastrianism,” he said.
India’s Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Kapil Sibal agreed and underlined the need of not “using terrorism” as an political tool.
“Terrorism is a disease, which knows no boundaries. Global cooperation is needed to check the menace of terrorism,” he added, saying that no country should extend any kind of support to terror outfits for political gains.
Appreciating the move of JMUF, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said that terrorism had to be fought out vigorously, a point shared by former Punjab director general of police K.P.S. Gill.
“There is no place for terrorism in human civilisation. Killing innocent people does not serve any purpose. The international community must fight out terrorism jointly,” said Sibghatullah Mojaddedi, former president and chairman of the Senate of Afghanistan.
Expressing a similar view, Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim, chief justice of the Maldives and president of Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, urged upon the world leaders to come forward in uprooting terrorism.
“Terrorism is a global concern, and should not be seen in the context of a particular religion. Terrorism does not have the sanction of any religion. Violence is unreligious, a message that has strongly gone down through this conclave,” said Syed Yahya Bukhari, president of JMUF.