Representatives of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Gurdwara Masoodabad, Buddhist Society of India, Hare Krishna Bhakti Kendra and Church of the Ascension Aligarh were among others who spoke at the interfaith conference in Aligarh 

ALIGARH/NEW DELHI — In the backdrop of recent communal hate speeches, Islamic Information Centre is organising interfaith conferences to spread the message of peace and harmony.

One such conference was organised by the Islamic Information Centre on Sunday in Aligarh, which was attended by various leaders and representatives of different religions.

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) Vice President Salim Engineer and other interfaith leaders came together at the Aligarh meet to reject the growing communal hatred, hostility and hate speeches in the country. Some more meets will be organised in due course to cull mistrust within the society.

Addressing the gathering in Aligarh on Sunday, the JIH Vice President asserted that one who commits violence in the name of faith is an enemy of his own religion. Pointing out that religion is not the root cause of hatred and violence in the society as all faiths teach against hatred, oppression and violence. Salim termed the supremacist mentality and the misuse of religion for political gains as its main reason.

He said, “some people and groups think of themselves as superior and see others as inferior. However, Islam considers all human beings as a family of God. At all times and everywhere in the world, prophets and messengers came from God with a message to establish peace and justice on earth.”

Emphasising on sharing joys and sorrows with each other, he urged people to establish direct and one-one-one relationships instead of social media. Underlining that nothing should be imposed on anyone and everyone should be free to seek truth while no religion should be used to commit violence and atrocity. Salim reminded the people that there can be no peace without justice in a society.

Advocating social equality and justice, Giani Rabhajot Singh of Gurdwara Masoodabad, Aligarh said, there is no caste or community and everyone will depart back to their Lord as they came from their mother’s womb. Buddhist Society of India’s Jai Singh Suman said that Gautam Buddha always talked about equality and love while Buddhism tried to eradicate untouchability from the society. Hare Krishna Bhakti Kendra’s Deepak Sharma has stated that all human beings are the children of the same God, according to the teachings of Sanatan Dharma. Reverend Lawrence Das of the Church of the Ascension Aligarh said, “if we have love, peace and humbleness in our hearts for others, then mutual enmity and hatred cannot arise among us.”

The organisers say that the Interfaith meet is a counter to communal hatred propagated in Haridwar and Raipur where many speakers spewed venom against a particular community and also on Christmas vandalisation of churches have taken place in various parts of the country. — IANS