"Forced Conversion Can't Be Testament Of Trust For Any Religion": Union Minister
NDTV
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that both the believers and the atheists have equal constitutional and social rights and protection in India
Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today said here that forced religious conversion cannot be a testament of expansion and trust in a country where both, believers and atheists coexist.
Interacting with prominent people of the Christian community from across the country in New Delhi today, Mr Naqvi said that both the believers and the atheists have equal constitutional and social rights and protection in India.
According to a press statement from the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Mr Naqvi said that while on one hand, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, Jews, Baha'is, and believers of almost all other religions of the world live in India; on the other hand, crores of atheists also exist in the country with equal constitutional and social rights.
Mr Naqvi said that India is the only country in the world where festivals and other joyous occasions of all the religions are celebrated together. "We need to keep this shared cultural heritage and legacy of co-existence strengthened. Any attempt to disturb this fabric of unity and harmony will hurt the soul of India," he said.
