Cardinal Oswald Gracias, the Archbishop of Bombay, on Monday, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for pursuing inclusivity in all spheres of his governance and said that his concern for everyone instils a feeling of confidence even among minorities.
Speaking to media persons after the ‘Ek Ped Ma ke Naam’ programme in Mumbai, Archbishop Gracias said PM Modi is concerned about everyone, including minority communities. “I am confident that he has the interests of every minority, including the Christian community, in mind in all his plans and progress.”
He also hailed India’s diversity and called it a key pillar of its greatness. “Our greatness lies in our diversity — people, cultures, languages, and religions. I believe no other country has our richness,” he said.
Sharing his views on the celebration of ‘Sewa Pakhwada’ to mark PM Modi’s birthday, Cardinal Gracias said, “Today was a very significant event as a part of the Sewa Pakhwada 2024. We had a programme to encourage our youth and everybody else also to make sure Earth’s resources are very wisely used.
“The sapling plantation today symbolised our continuous commitment to care for the Earth and nature for future generations. We hope a movement begins here in the country and the world. I am happy that the government of India has taken the initiative to do this, and I am thankful to the Prime Minister for encouraging this movement (tree plantations).”
The Christian community of Maharashtra organized a ‘Sewa Pakhwada’ on Monday to celebrate PM Modi’s 74th birthday with a ‘prayer for peace’. Notably, Sewa Pakhwada is a 15-day event, organised every year from September 17 to October 2, to mark PM Modi’s birthday. The period as part of the party’s devotion to poor and marginalised sections. During this period, various activities, from health camps to blood donation drives to cleanliness drives, are organised throughout the country.
–IANS
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