Headlines
India's secularism is strong, it will not shake: Modi
Berlin, April 14
India's secularism is strong
and it will not shake, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his address
to the Indian community in Berlin.
Addressing a community
reception hosted by the Indian ambassador, the prime minister said:
"India's secularism is not so weak that it will crumble. Our secularism
is strong, and it will not shake; our self confidence should also not
shake," he said.
He also said that India will set the agenda for the climate change summit in Paris this year.
Modi
said that Indians have always traditionally followed the principle of
reuse and recycle, and never believed in wasting nature's resources.
India worships mother nature, he said.
"Reuse and recycle -- we
have been doing for years, but the world is using it now. But we never
highlighted this aspect of ours, of reuse and recycle. Now the world is
telling us to reuse and recycle. Those who damage the environment are
today asking us to pay. They are asking us to reduce carbon emissions."
"We
are those who pay respect to environment, we call rivers mother,
worhship trees, and nature, it is part of our culture, and we should go
the world with this," Modi said.
"We should stand with
confidence, that we can show the world the way. We will set its agenda, I
want to assure you. India will set the agenda for the climate change
summit, and on the basis of our values; we are not those to take from
world, but give," he said to loud applause.
He also assured the diaspora that the country will always be there for them and maintain its ties with the diaspora.