The ideals that Sree Narayana Guru stood for in convening the all-religion meet at Aluva a hundred years ago have attained increased relevance at a time when rulers are misusing religion for political gains, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said. Speaking at the centenary celebrations of the meeting here on Saturday, Mr. Vijayan said that there are widespread concerns about the end of diversity and secularism in the country.
“The Constitutional ideal of India being a secular country is being forgotten, as religious thoughts are misinterpreted to cement the control of power. Threats to secularism and diversity would also mean a challenge to Narayana Guru’s ideals. This should not be tolerated,” he said.
Mr. Vijayan said that in the current times any questions or observations regarding religions are being misinterpreted as an attack on religion by narrow-minded people who are incapable of understanding the vastness and depth of the ideas contained in these religions.
“Guru had always taken a realistic and scientific approach to religions, with an aim to democratise them. The all-religion meeting became a platform to spread the light of diverse practices and belief systems of various religions to us. It also became a space to exchange ideas, to raise questions and to express different interpretations. Guru always spoke about the need for understanding religions based on the values that they stood for. Then, we would realise that all religions are one and that the conflicts over religion are meaningless,” he said.
