Dalai Lama All Praise for India’s Secular Traditions
Bhopal — All praise for the centuries old Indian tradition of secularism, the Dalai Lama Wednesday said that they are more relevant in today’s world, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader was delivering a lecture on human rights through global responsibility at Madhya Pradesh legislative assembly’ auditorium.
The Dalai said the country’s secular ethics are pivotal to the success of its democracy. Stressing the need to protect human rights in the world he said it is more important in India due to prevalent caste system and poverty.
Calling on India for a greater focus on alleviating poverty, he noted that growing interaction between different communities in the world could resolve disputes and develop harmony.
He called for a greater role of women in promoting values like compassion and forgiveness and stressed on individual freedom. He said society could not be transformed without individual creativity.
Thanking Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for proposing the establishment of a Buddhist university in the state, the monk said it will help spread Buddhist concept and philosophy.
Presiding over the function, Governor Rameshwar Thakur described the Dalai Lama as a strong votary to human rights in the modern world.
He said it was astonishing that human rights violations are on the rise despite spread of education, science and technology.
In his address, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said protection of human rights is intrinsic in India. Ages ago, the Indian civilization had recognised the world as a family through the principle of ‘vasudhaiv kutumbakam’.
Underlining the state government’s efforts to usher in a new era of development and progress while protecting human rights, Chouhan said the efforts to wipe tears from the eyes of have-nots and providing them social security stem from this very notion.
He said the Dalai Lama, who commands respect and devotion of lakhs of people, is not a mere state head, but also a spiritual guru who shows the path of religion and spirituality to people.
Delivering the welcome address, MP Human Rights Commission chairperson DM Dharmadhikari said Lord Buddha gave the message of peace, love, purity of mind and strived all through his life to end social disparity.
On this occasion, the quarterly publication of the Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission and the book ‘Human Values and Human Rights’ penned by Dharmadhikari were also released.
