Ask for rights as Indians, not in name of religion: Kerala Governor traces trend & reasons

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Thursday, October 20, urged the citizens not to get divided on religious lines and that they should ask for their rights as Indians rather than in the name of religion.

Addressing an event at Nagpur University, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan said, "In the Constitution, all rights belong to citizens. In the name of religion, there is freedom, not rights. You ask for rights in the name of religion? From the British era, we have been in the habit of asking for rights in the name of religion. You should ask for rights as citizens, as Indians. Your rights are ensured by the Constitution."

The Governor lauded India's rich culture and the brotherhood among people belonging to different faiths. He further said that the Nation was partitioned along religious lines and urged people to remind anyone who is still pushing for such divides that "we are all one."

"The British divided us. They told Hindus they would get a larger share if they behaved. They also told Muslims they would get a bigger share if they behaved. One was looking at a profit at the other’s loss," Arif Mohammad Khan said. He asserted that nothing can happen now in such a way that a Hindu will profit and a Muslim will be at a loss. "If gas connections are being distributed in a government scheme, it will be distributed to all," he added while stating that all religions teach peace and harmony.

'There should be no double standards on secularism': Kerala Governor

On Wednesday, while speaking at a meeting organised by the India Peace Centre and Humanity Charitable Trust in Nagpur, the Kerala Governor said that if secularism is acceptable when one belongs to a minority community, it should not be rejected when the community is in majority.

"You should not do to others what you do not want for yourself... If I am in majority then secularism is `Kufr' (unacceptable under religious law), if I am minority then secularism becomes `Shariat' (permissible under religious law). How can this be?" Adding further he said that if something is good then it is good for the entire country and if it is bad then it is bad for everyone.

Image: ANI