Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unveiled the 'Simhastha Declaration' at the Kumbh mela in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain, reported The Hindu. Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, who is in India on his first state visit after coming to office, was present at the event.
According to a senior government official, the declaration is a guideline on how "a duty-centred system, which had been the origin of Indian philosophy of life, has become the most relevant today". He said the declaration will be the essence of a year-long exercise of seminars and conferences on religion, spirituality and its relationship with science, climate change and deep ecology.
The PM praised the event organisers for putting together such a massive festival. “Can we not tell the world about our organizing capacity with an event like the Kumbh. Look at our polls, it's a wonder for the world...a nation so big & many voters. And see how the EC organises elections,” Modi said. He also suggested that Vichar Kumbh should be held every year to discuss important social issues.
According to Modi, "good for all" is rooted in the Indian culture, reported Hindustan Times. "We belong to a tradition where even a bhikshuk [beggar] says, 'may good happen to the person who gives me and also to the person who does not'," the PM said. He added that a “holier than thou” attitude is taking people towards conflicts. "Let’s look within and see how we can grow ourselves," he said.
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