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Indian PM Narendra Modi would address the concluding session of an international inter-faith symposium on the sidelines of Simhastha Kumbh in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain on Saturday as part of his cultural diplomacy with religion as its centrepiece.
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena would attend the symposium along with diplomats and delegates from Nepal, Bangladesh and Japan. Successive Indian governments have largely kept religion out of the diplomacy. But Modi sees religion as an integral part of India's engagement with the world.
Modi had earlier invited Japanese PM Shinzo Abe for Ganga worship in Varanasi last year. He has offered prayers at the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu and Dhaka's Dhakeshwari temple besides visiting Buddhist temples in Japan as part of his efforts to integrate religion into diplomacy.
A BJP functionary said issues related to Hindus in India as well as in neighbouring countries would be discussed at the symposium. He said environment, women empowerment and gender equality would be discussed as well.
Rajya Sabha MP and RSS functionary Anil Madhav Dave, who is in-charge of the event, said the purpose of the symposium was to make the world a more peaceful and beautiful place to live in. "We have invited foreign delegates because we are in search of the path that can lead us to a better tomorrow," he said.
Dave added the three-day meet would be an intellectual and ideological exchange on diverse issues like environment and health. "Discussions will be held on how to end discrimination and offences against women.''
Another BJP functionary insisted there was nothing new in the symposium. "At every Kumbh, there is a dharma sansad organised by sadhus and sants who discuss issues related to Hindus and Hinduism," he said. "Since sadhus now have started aligning themselves to different political parties, the RSS has taken upon itself to support such a convention," he added.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat would address the inaugural session of the symposium at Ninaura on the outskirts of Ujjain on Thursday.
(THE TIMES OF INDIA)
