Astana: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday made a statement on Islamic heritage of India and Central Asia, a tone stand out against with many of his MPs and the Sangh Parivar.
PM Modi used the example to highlight the fight against terror, pointing out how true has always rejected the forces of extremism, as he urged for boosting defence and security cooperation to defend the region’s peace and defeat terrorism and rising extremism.
In his address at the Nazarbayev University in the Kazakh capital, the PM said, “The confluence of Indian and Islamic civilization took place in Central Asia. We enriched each other in spiritual thought, but also in medicine, science, mathematics and astronomy.”
“The Islamic heritage of both India and Central Asia is defined by the highest ideals of Islam – knowledge, piety, compassion and welfare. This is a heritage founded on the principle of love and devotion. And, it has always rejected the forces of extremism,” he added.
The comments drew applause from some of PM Modi’s critics, like commentator Sudheendra Kulkarni, who tweeted, “I salute PM Modi for saying: Islamic heritage of India & Central Asia is defined by highest ideals of Islam – KNOWLEDGE, PIETY, COMPASSION. (Sic)”
“Sangh Parivar shud stop believing that Indian Muslims do not matter and that Muslim countries do not matter to India.
India and Central Asia, (sic)” Mr Kulkarni said in another tweet.