November 23, 2024 06:54 (IST)
Religious intolerance in India would have shocked Gandhiji: Obama
#Barack Obama, # Obama on India religious intolerance, # Gandhiji, # Obama National Breakfast address
Washington, Feb 6 (IBNS) US President Barack Obama has said that if Gandhi were alive, the acts of religious intolerance in India would have shocked him while he also reminded Americans of the acts of the terrible deeds committed by Christians too in history.
In the National Prayer Breakfast address on Thursday, Obama said "India was full of magnificent diversity – but a place where, in past years, religious faiths of all types have, on occasion, been targeted by other peoples of faith, simply due to their heritage and their beliefs.”
He said such acts would have "shocked Gandhiji, the person who helped to liberate that nation."
Obama, who is an admirer of Gandhiji, is just back from his India visit where he bonded well with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi but in a speech before leaving had expressed his concern over the religious intolerance in India and had said for the country to succeed it should not splinter along religious lines.
Obama spoke of how “professions of faith [is] used both as an instrument of great good but twisted in the name of evil.”
"From a school in Pakistan to the streets of Paris we have seen violence and terror perpetrated by those who profess to stand up for faith – their faith – profess to stand up for Islam but in fact are betraying it,” he said.
He called ISIS a “brutal, vicious death cult that in the name of religion carries out unspeakable acts of barbarism.”
He also warned the Christians saying "and lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place – remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ."
"No god condones terror," Obama said adding that "we are summoned to push back against those who would distort our religion for their nihilistic ends.
Tibetan leader in exile and Nobel laureate Dalai Lama was present at the venue whom Obama addressed as a person who "inspires us to speak up for the freedom and dignity of all human beings."
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Latest Headlines
UK-India Free Trade Agreement negotiations to resume in early 2024 Sat, Nov 23 2024
In a rare move, Delhi Lt Guv VK Saxena praises CM Atishi; calls her 'thousand times better' Fri, Nov 22 2024
Centre to send over 10,000 additional soldiers to violence-hit Manipur amid fresh violence Fri, Nov 22 2024
Maharashtra cash-for-vote controversy: Vinod Tawde sends defamation notice to Rahul Gandhi, Kharge Fri, Nov 22 2024
Fishing fishing vessel collides with Indian Naval submarine off Goa coast, 2 fishermen missing Fri, Nov 22 2024
Debate over CM's face in both Mahayuti and MVA camps ahead of Maharashtra poll results Fri, Nov 22 2024
West Bengal is in India, you must speak in Hindi: Woman in Kolkata Metro tells co-passenger stirring row Fri, Nov 22 2024