India Never Asked Anyone to Abandon Their Faith: LG Manoj Sinha

India Never Asked Anyone to Abandon Their Faith was reiterated by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha during an interfaith event in Srinagar on Saturday. Speaking at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC), Sinha said India has never imposed a religion or asked people to renounce their faith, describing instead a longstanding approach of welcoming diverse beliefs. He told the Interfaith Dialogue that India’s traditions emphasize wisdom, dialogue, tolerance and peaceful coexistence, with different philosophies, cultures, religions and schools of thought flourishing together under mutual respect. Sinha referenced Dharma as a concept that goes beyond sects, and cited scriptures including the Rig Veda, Atharva Veda and the Bhagavad Gita. He also said the arrival of Islam was met with dialogue and intellectual cooperation, including Sanskrit works translated into Arabic. The remarks highlighted Kashmiriyat as part of India’s civilisational heritage rooted in compassion and coexistence.