01-18-2005, 04:38 AM
''Muslim psyche needs to be healed'' : Natwar
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->New Delhi, Jan 15 (UNI) Asserting that Muslim psyche had been hurt and needed to be healed, External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh today lashed out at the 'Sangh Parivar' and its constituents for ''distorting the very concept of secularism'' and dared them to face a debate ''head on'' on the issue.
Delivering the 12th Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial Lecture on 'India and Islam,' he said that for several years, the critics of secularism, particularly those from within the Sangh Parivar, had tried to build up a movement to promote their ''exclusivist ideology and their doctrine of hate and abuse.'' But they had not succeeded.
Noting that there had been a vigorous and acrimonious debate on the idea of secularism and its continuing relevance to the Indian polity, Mr Natwar Singh said the most vigorous assault on it had come from the ''Sangh Parivar.'' Those people who believe in India's core national values, should not shy away from a debate from this debate but face it head on and expose the weaknesses, fallacies, distortions and lies in the case presented by the other side.
''For several years, the critics of secularism, particularly those from within the Sangh Parivar, have honed their philosophical moorings, established political alliances, and tried to build up a movement to promote exclusivist ideology and their docctrine of hate and abuse. They have not succeeded,'' he said.
Reiterating the UPA government's commitmenmt to the core national value of secularism, democracy and pluralism, he said this legacy would not be allowed to be frittered away. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->New Delhi, Jan 15 (UNI) Asserting that Muslim psyche had been hurt and needed to be healed, External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh today lashed out at the 'Sangh Parivar' and its constituents for ''distorting the very concept of secularism'' and dared them to face a debate ''head on'' on the issue.
Delivering the 12th Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial Lecture on 'India and Islam,' he said that for several years, the critics of secularism, particularly those from within the Sangh Parivar, had tried to build up a movement to promote their ''exclusivist ideology and their doctrine of hate and abuse.'' But they had not succeeded.
Noting that there had been a vigorous and acrimonious debate on the idea of secularism and its continuing relevance to the Indian polity, Mr Natwar Singh said the most vigorous assault on it had come from the ''Sangh Parivar.'' Those people who believe in India's core national values, should not shy away from a debate from this debate but face it head on and expose the weaknesses, fallacies, distortions and lies in the case presented by the other side.
''For several years, the critics of secularism, particularly those from within the Sangh Parivar, have honed their philosophical moorings, established political alliances, and tried to build up a movement to promote exclusivist ideology and their docctrine of hate and abuse. They have not succeeded,'' he said.
Reiterating the UPA government's commitmenmt to the core national value of secularism, democracy and pluralism, he said this legacy would not be allowed to be frittered away. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->