LORD RAM BELONGS TO ALL INDIANS: ARIF M. KHAN

‘What is happening in Ayodhya is not an event related to one religion. The overwhelming number of Indians who otherwise subscribe to different religious practices, accept Lord Ram as an Ideal worth emulating.’

Ahead of the shilanyas for the Ram Temple at Ayodhya on Wednesday, 5 August, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan spoke exclusively to The Sunday Guardian on a host of issues. Excerpts:

Q: The shilanyas of Ram Temple is going to be held on 5

August. How significant is the event in your opinion? Do you think this is going to be a turning point in Indian history?

A: The significance of the event is that an issue that had become a source of agitation and tension for more than a century and had created a lot of bad blood and animosity among the communities, now stands peacefully resolved. We had enough of conflicts, we need peace and harmony. I hope that now instead of turning on one another, we shall turn to each other and shall devote our energies to build a better future.

Q: On the issue of Prime Minister Narendra Modi going for the shilanyas, Opposition parties allege it will adversely affect the secular fabric of society. What is your opinion on it?

A: We must understand that Indian secularism is not a political theory imported from the West; rather the term has been used to describe the Indian way of life that is based on Bahudha culture which is more than five millennia old. Our secularism is deeply rooted in the principle of universal acceptance and respect for all traditions and all denominations.

It does not imply distancing, instead it means promoting harmony not only among individuals but also among various religious traditions.

Swami Vivekananda says that: “The essence of Vedanta is that there is but one Being and that every soul is that Being in full, not a part of that Being”.

So it is clear that Indian culture of Bahudha is not

A boy wearing a face mask leaves the Jama Masjid after Eid al-adha prayers during an outbreak of Covid-19, in the old quarters of Delhi on Saturday. defined by religion but it is defined by Spirit (आत्मा) which means it has room for various religious beliefs and denominations. Showing respect to various faiths and religious beliefs springs from an Indian ethos, it does not weaken Indian secularism. What is happening in Ayodhya is not an event related to one religion (पं ). The