The India Post, Chandigarh, October 22, 2008: Today, as part of a ‘Moral Education Week’ planned by Education Department, Chandigarh Administration, the Peace Club of Moti Ram Arya Sr. Sec. Public School, Sector 27 A and YUVSATTA organized an Interfaith dialogue on the theme of "WE ARE ONE", inviting prominent religious leaders of major religions. Around 800 students and faculty members of the School were present on the occasion.
Prominent amongst those who addressed the students includes Harjinder Kaur, Ex-Mayor, Mulana Ajmal Khan, Imam, Jama Masjid, Father Thomas, Administrator, Simla Chandigarh Diocese, Dr. Manisha, Principal, Brahmrishi College of Education & Prof. Anil Sarwal, Former Secretary General, National Assembly of Bahai’s in India.
Welcoming the guests Shankutla Mahajan, Director of the School told the audience that when a donated unit of blood of a Sikh can be given to a Muslim, Christian, Hindu or for that matter to any other person of any religion or vice versa, that means god has made us all equal, then who are we to create barriers in the name of caste, creed or religion.
In her address Harjinder Kaur said that the degree of similarity among the religions at the fundamental level provides evidence for the unity of religions. There is no religion in the world which negates values of Peace, equality, justice, truth, compassion, human dignity and love. So, for happier and harmonious relationships, programmes building Interfaith trust and interpersonal dialogues are must.
Quoting Gandhi Father Thomas explained many facets of love for humanity propagated by Christianity, which after reading Bible Mahatma Gandhi used to tell his followers like "love thy neighbour’ even ‘not to hate your enemies’. He said Christians constitutes just 2% of India’s population and still they’re running more then 80,000 Schools, 1800 Colleges, more then 1000 technical institutions and hundreds of Dispensaries and Hospitals in the country, which shows not only their love for humanity, but also pursuits of overall development of mother India. And still in the name of religion they’re targeted by vested elements in some parts of India.
Mulana Ajmal Khan, Imam, Jama Masjid, said that we human beings can be saved of many prevalent evils and acts of violence, if we always remember that somebody is watching, some supreme power there to keep an account of all our activities.
Dr. Manisha talked about inculcating virtues of love for not only humans, but also for all living and nonliving beings on this earth, which is crux of Hinduism.
Concluding the programme Prof. Sarwal said that today, the world is multi-cultural, multi-religious and multi-ethnic. No country can be monocultural, mono-religious and mono-ethnic. Equal respect should be given to all religions, all cultures, all languages, all races, all ethnic groups that can only ensure a society of permanence.