India calls out UN's 'selectivity' in condemning violence against non-Abrahamic religions

India on Wednesday spoke against selective condemnation by UN member states against attacks on religious mirities around world. Indian diplomat Ashish Sharma at  75th session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) asserted that violence against or n-Abrahamic religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism should be equally called out. Sharma ded that 'selectivity' can never help or foster efforts towards global peace. 

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'Why is this selectivity?'

Sharma during his dress at United Nations was speaking on issue of "Culture of Peace". First Secretary asked "Why is this selectivity?. He also spoke about number of followers in Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism and requested member states to include se religions along with earlier list of three Abrahamic religions. 

"Culture of peace cant be only for Abrahamic religions. And as long as such selectivity exists, world can never truly foster a culture of peace." he said

Ashish Sharma also brought up examples where or religions were targeted by extremists in Afghanistan. Slamming UNGA member states for refusing to condemn attack on or religions, First Secretary said:

" shattering of iconic Bamyan Buddha by fundamentalists, terrorist bombing of Sikh Gurudwara in Afghanistan where 25 Sikh worshipers were killed and destruction of Hindu and Buddhist temples and mirity cleansing of se religions by countries, calls for condemning such acts against se religions also. But current Member States refuse to speak of se religions in same breath as first three "Abrahamic" religions."

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Furr speaking on India's historic tritions, Sharma spoke about how India is home to  major religions of world which have ir roots in country.

"India is t just birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, but is also land where teachings of Islam, Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism have taken strong root and where Sufi trition of Islam has flourished. Today, every one of world's major religions has a home in India. great Indian philosopher, Swami Vivekananda said, "We (India) believe t only in universal toleration but accept all religions as true".

In dition, he also spoke about India's role in aiding persecuted people from or countries and playing an important part in ir development. 

"For millennia, India has provided shelter to waves of those persecuted in foreign lands, and allowed m to thrive in India. And our trition of inter-culture dialogue goes right to time when ancient Indian thinkers h a flourishing dialogue with ancient Greeks. India is t just a culture, but a civilization in itself," First Secretary said.

India's response comes after multiple resolutions by UN have strongly condemned acts of violence against Abrahamic religions by terming m as Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and Christiaphobia. However, re is a general feeling that violence against or religious mirities is t condemned by member states. 

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(With ANI Inputs)