*India will succeed so long as it is not splintered on sectarian lines: Obama* Sachin Parashar,TNN | Jan 28, 2015
NEW DELHI: US President Barack Obama on Tuesday waded into the raging conversion dispute as he reminded the Indian government and people that they ought to ensure freedom of religion as enshrined in Article 25 of the Indian Constitution. While Obama's assertion was more of a nudge than an admonition, he spoke at length about the freedom to be able to practice one's religion, reading out from Indian Constitution which guarantees freedom to practice and propagate religion. "Your Article 25 says that all people are 'equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practice and propagate religion'," said Obama in his address to a largely young audience, hours ahead of his departure. "In both our countries, in all countries, upholding this fundamental freedom is the responsibility of government, but it's also the responsibility of every person," he added. The US President went on to say that India was going to succeed so long as it was not splintered on sectarian lines. He recalled the attack on a Sikh temple in Wisconsin saying that this terrible act of violence had both India and US reaffirming that every person had the right to practise the faith of their choice. To further drive home his point about religious tolerance in India, Obama mentioned the recognition achieved by people like Shah Rukh Khan, Milkha Singh and Mary Kom, all from minority communities, in India. Obama's remarks came during the course of his almost hour-long speech titled "India and America: The Future We Can Build Together". According to a report in New York Times, Obama was under pressure from advocacy groups to take up the issue of human rights while in India. Among his audience was Kailash Satyarthi, a fellow Nobel peace laureate. The focus on religion though was just one aspect of his speech in which he made a compelling case for stronger cooperation between India and the US. "India and US are natural partners but I believe they can also be best partners," he said. Obama also backed the just concluded negotiations for operationalizing the civil nuclear agreement which he said could help fight climate change through clean energy. He touched upon a number of global issues as he exhorted India to play a bigger role saying with greater power came more responsibility. "The United States welcomes a greater role for India in the Asia Pacific, where freedom of navigation must be upheld and disputes must be resolved peacefully," said Obama. While reiterating support for India's candidature for permanent membership of UNSC, he said the two countries could work together for peace and stability in the region, including in Burma and Sri Lanka where, he said, there was new hope for democracy. He also sought closer partnership between the two countries in security and defence. The speech was peppered by references to Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr and also Vivekananda who, he said, brought to the US yoga and Hinduism. Twice Obama addressed the audience as sisters and brothers of India after he referred to Vivekananda's speech in Chicago where he addressed the US audience as sisters and brothers of America. The manner in which Obama invoked his own background and also America's racial segregation in the past in pressing India on issues like women rights and religious freedom helped temper his message which could still ruffle some feathers here. Obama mentioned how his grandfather was the son of a cook in the British army. "Even as we live in a world of wrenching inequities, we're also proud to live in countries where even the grandson of a cook can become president, even a Dalit can help write a constitution, and even a tea seller can become prime minister," Obama said, as he recalled how King Jr was introduced in a school as a "fellow untouchable" when he visited India.
