agencies
NEW DELHI, Apr 8: Former Jammu & Kashmir chief minister and NC leader Farooq Abdullah on Friday urged people of the country to spread love and follow the path shown by great national leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi.
"I request you all with folded hands, If India is to be saved, it should be saved with love. We have to build a country of the ideals promoted by great national leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi. I want see such an India before I die," Abdullah said.
He was speaking as the chief guest at the 16th and 17th Sant Namdev Award function at the Constitution Club in Delhi organised by Pune based NGO Sarhad.
The 16th honour for the year 2020 was given to Former IPS officer and writer AS Dulat while the 17th award for the year 2021 was presented to Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik.
Expressing concern over the current political scenario in the country, Abdullah said, "India is a pluralistic country. All communities should live unitedly. However, some leaders are trying to drive a wedge among communities, which is unfortunate."
The politics of hatred is dangerous for India's progress. No religion preaches hatred for other religions. An individual can be wrong but a religion can never go wrong, he added.
Pune-based NGO Sarhad has instituted the award comprising Rs 1.01 lakh and a memento. It is given to a Punjabi every year for their outstanding contribution to the nation.
Talking to UNI over the phone Sarhad founder president Sanjay Nahar said that the award promotes and honours the humanitarian teachings and work of the 13th century Poet-Sant Namdev, who spent a considerable time of his life in Punjab. The poet had passed away in Ghuman village of Gurdaspur district in Punjab. Replying to his felicitation, Satya Pal Malik said that the authorities should not think that farmers have withdrawn from their position after suspending the agitation. "The farmers have shown the true place to politicians, who have played with their lives," he added. Delhi Gurudwara Management Committee President Harmeet Singh Kalka, Shailesh Pagariya, Sant Singh Mokha, Surendra Wadhwa, Amol Devlankar, Aba Pasalkar, were also present. |
