‘India respects unity in diversity’
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, June 4: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha today said that Jammu and Kashmir will not become drug-free in 100 days but it is sufficient to break the back bone of the menace.
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Speaking at ‘Rishiwar’ Inter-Faith Conference 2026 at SKICC in Srinagar here, the LG said that the campaign against drug addiction in J&K will continue.
“I know that J&K will not become drug-free in 100 days. This campaign must continue beyond these hundred days, and it will continue. However, we have made sufficient arrangements to break the backbone of the drug menace during this period,” he said.
Sinha said that he is getting a lot of support for the campaign especially from Kashmir. “The type of support that the people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially those in Kashmir, have shown is something I have not witnessed in the last six years. It is genuine, organic, and spontaneous,” he added.
The LG appealed the people to support it as it poses a threat to every family and every community in the region.
“I urge everyone to support this campaign because drug abuse can one day knock on anyone’s door. It is a threat that can affect every family and every community. Therefore, I appeal to all of you to extend your full support to this cause,” he said.
Sinha called upon citizens, institutions and community leaders to embrace the campaign as a people’s movement and work together towards building a drug-free and healthier society.
The LG said that the idea of honoring all faiths equally has been woven into fabric of India’s philosophy for millennia.
“While many nations today struggle with challenge of coexistence, diversity has been our natural rhythm of life. While many societies have devised measures to safeguard unity, India embraced ethos and value of coexistence and practiced seamlessly for thousands of years,” he said.
Sinha observed that respecting all ideas and beliefs has always been tradition of Sanatan Dharma. He said that India has consistently emphasized unity in diversity and shown respect to every faith that emerged thousands of years after Sanatan Dharma.
The LG said that the Rigveda also teaches that hearts and minds should be aligned, our aim should be the same, our feelings in harmony, and our thoughts united.
“Scholars and researchers worldwide agree that the spirit of equal regard for all religions finds its philosophical roots in the ancient traditions of our great country. When I reflect on the ideals and philosophies India has gifted humanity, it becomes evident that through both thought and deed, our Vedas, Upanishads, saints and seers have illuminated a path toward lasting world peace,” he added.
Sinha stated that every thread of society must be woven together, advancing with a shared commitment to the welfare of humanity.
“That is precisely what humanity needs most today. The ethos of equal respect for all religions is India’s most precious gift to the world. We must continuously nurture it so we can move forward together in unity and bring prosperity to every community,” he added.
Highlighting J&K’s exceptional performance during the three phases of the Vande Mataram initiative, the LG described the achievement as extraordinary and a testament to the people’s enduring patriotic spirit.
Justice Sanjay Dhar, Judge, High Court of J&K and Ladakh, Dr. Syed Darakhshan Andrabi, Chairperson, J&K Waqf Board, Prof. Nilofer Khan, Vice-Chancellor, Kashmir University, Prof. Meena Sharma, Organiser (Convener), saints, senior officers of the judiciary, police and civil administration, faculty members of various universities, students and public in large number attended the conference.Darakhshan Andrabi while addressing the conference said that Sufism is the soul of Kashmir. She said that we have come out of the darkest period of our modern history and now while we have established peace in J&K, we have rebuilt the bridges between the communities and we are on the path of erasing all black spots of division and animosity from this society.
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