Acharya urges against ‘religious conflict’ at science conference

[caption id="attachment_225708" align="alignnone" width="550"] PB Acharya lights the inaugural lamp of the Science and Technology Conference of the 86th Sivagiri Pilgrimage, on January 1 at Shivagiri Mutt, in Kerela.[/caption] Dimapur, Jan. 2 (EMN): The governor of Nagaland, PB Acharya addressed a science and technology conference in Kerela during which he urged against engaging in ‘religious conflict,’ and instead advised people to ‘promote universal peace, harmony and prosperity of all religions.’ Acharya attended the inaugural session of the Science and Technology Conference of the 86th Sivagiri Pilgrimage, on Jan. 1 at Shivagiri Mutt, in Kerela, a press release from the governor’s office stated on Wednesday. In his address to the gathering, he spoke of Sree Narayana Guru, stated to be the Father of ‘Kerala Renaissance’s slogan of “One caste, one religion, one God for mankind.” It resounds as a guiding principle even now, the governor said. It has great relevance in the present times and that the Sivagiri Mutt was a major spiritual and pilgrimage spot associated with the memory of Sree Narayana Guru, “a great Yogi and a Siddha revered by Mahatma Gandhi for his unrelenting crusade against untouchability and casteism,” the press release stated. According to Governor Acharya the ‘guru’ always wanted to develop a society ‘where people never quarrelled’ and where there was no discrimination “in the path of progress by combining spiritual and temporal matters, thus liberating and leading them to enlightenment and progress.” Further, the updates stated, the ‘guru’ emphasized on the need to “abstain from religious conflict and to promote universal peace, harmony and prosperity of all religions.” He urged the gathering to the follow the teachings of the guru for a better society and to strengthen the nation. “Let us progress through education, strengthen through organisation. Let us emulate the teachings and principles of guru and work for universal brotherhood and world peace,” the press release quoted Governor Acharya as having told the gathering.