Oneness biggest strength of Indian culture Gadkari at Lokmat event

     Nagpur, Oct 24 (PTI) Oneness is the biggest strength of Indian culture and it was this aspect that made it capable for us to become a 'vishwa guru' or world teacher, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said at an event here on Sunday.<br>        Speaking on 'Global Challenges to Communal Harmony and the Role of India' at an inter-religious conference organised by the Lokmat media group to mark the golden jubilee year of its Nagpur edition, the senior BJP leader also said Indian culture was truly secular.<br>        Respecting all cultures, religions, communities, ideologies was the specialty of Indian culture, which is not associated with any "dharm", he said.<br>       "Oneness is the biggest strength of Indian culture and this is what makes us capable of becoming a vishwa guru, which was predicted earlier by Swami Vivekananda," he said. <br>        The Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said the demand of human life was diversity but there was hatred against diversity due to our lack of understanding as well as stress.<br>        He said, therefore, there was need to walk together and respect one another as all communities are important.<br>        In a video message, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said "dharm unites", whereas man was using it as an "instrument to break", and this was being caused due to lack of "mutual interaction".<br>        "India believes the world is full of diversity. There may be differences in appearance and name, but from inside, we all are one. The oblivion of this distinctivity and diversity becomes the reason for isolation. Hence, mutual interaction is needed to ensure this (isolation) does not happen," Bhagwat said.<br>        Speaking at the event, yoga guru Baba Ramdev stressed on values of unity, equality, freedom and universal brotherhood, and claimed religious, economic, political and medical terrorism were the biggest dangers to the world. <br>        "Let us not focus on differences but on what unites us. India is home to many religions and is the flag-bearer of the Vasudhaiva kutumbakam thought process. We have a rich legacy of people from diverse traditions living together and it is the noble responsibility of spiritual leaders to preserve and promote it," said Cardinal Oswald Gracias.<br>        Haji Syed Salman Chishti of Dargah Ajmer Sharif talked about patience and gratitude, which, if followed, cannot be defeated.<br>        Among those who spoke at the event were Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti Acharya Lokesh Muni, Founder of Jeevanvidya Mission Prahlad Wamanrao Pai, Founder of Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre Bhikkhu Sanghasena and Brahmaviharidas Swami from the United States of America. PTI CLS BNM<br>BNM   BNM

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)