India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI—Religious leaders belonging to different faiths have appealed to come forward and extend their helping hand to all those suffering from dreaded COVID-19 disease no matter to which faith or community they belong.
This appealed was made at a webinar on the theme of “Corona crisis and message of religious leaders to the nation” organised by the Dharmic Jan Morcha on Saturday.
Acharya Sushil Maharaj, who is national convener of the Bharatiya Dharm Sansad, addressing the webinar said that the coronavirus pandemic had acquired a horrific form and a large number of people were dying due to it every day. “The situation has become so serious that people, due to fear of the virus, are not coming forward to dispose of or cremate the bodies of those dying due to coronavirus infections”, said Sushil Maharaj.
He said that it was the most appropriate time when effort must be made to invite people towards Almighty God. “There have been a number of instances when even the close family members have abandoned the bodies of their relatives having died due to COVID-19. In such a situation, it were neighbours from other religions came forward to cremate such bodies which was highly praiseworthy,” said Sushil Maharaj.
“Now the time has come when the people should commit themselves to service of humanity without discrimination on the basis of religion, caste or creed,”Sushil maharaj appealed through the webinar.
Participating in the webinar, Swami Shantatmanand, chief of Delhi unit of Ramakrishna Mission, said that people required to make themselves physically strong so that they could help people in times of crisis like that of corona pandemic.
“It is our negligence due to which the pandemic has spread at such a large scale in the country. Had we taken precaution and initiated proper measures in the beginning of the onset of the pandemic, the situation would not have become so serious now,” said the Swami.
He wanted to create awareness among all religious communities regarding long-term dangers of the coronavirus pandemic and rope in the services of their members to fight this menace unitedly.
Acharya Pramod Krishnan, Shri Kalki Peethadheeshwa, Kalkidham Organisation, said that people were doing whatever was within their means and capacity. “But the question is what is government doing on this occasion? You (people) are doing whatever you could, at your own level. But why has the government failed? Why is the government not doing anything? The government has administration and vast resources with it. We should collectively ask the government to take concrete and serious steps to fight the pandemic that has acquired an awful form,” the Acharya said.
“What the government is doing to save human lives? People are terrified. They need guidance. If lockdown is necessary, why is it not been imposed? If there is no life left, then of what use are we as a nation? Life is priceless and we must respect it,” the Achrya said in his speech.
Advising that religious leaders from different faiths must collectively appeal the government to implement lockdown with immediate effect to save precious lives, he said that “the government does not appear to be serious to consider the proposal”.
He also suggested that the government should convert the big spaces available with religious groups into COVID treatment hospitals. “Let’s write to Prime Minister in this connection,” he stated.
He said, “Almost all politicians are defaming the religious leaders and they don’t want unity among religious leaders of different faiths. It is not only the responsibility of the Muslim religious leaders to talk of unity and harmonious relationship among different religions. In fact, it also the responsibility of Hindu religious leader as also the government to work for promotion of unity and amity among people of different faiths.”
Sister Hussain from Brahmakumari organisation said that people required spiritual power to fight the psychological injury caused by the pandemic. “We need to protect the lives of people. We need to bring patience and peace among the people disturbed by the corona pandemic. We need to bring people on the path of spirituality to make them overcome the trauma of COVID pandemic.”
Stating that one who felt the pains and sorrows of everyone in his heart, was a true human being, Shri Swami Sampat Kumar exhorted people to avoid confrontation in the name of religion and establish the ideals of universal brotherhood and this task could be done by religious leaders only.
In an important remark, he said, “We have made some blunder and the entire society is bearing the brunt of it. We are not immortals but it is time for all of us to make the world a better place to live”.
Commending the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind for uniting people to make a better society, he suggested that the Hindu society must also unite in the service of humanity.
Christian religious leader Isaac Malekar said, “We need first to minimize the fears of the people if we want to face the corona crisis. We can fight the COVID only with forbearance and patience.”
He demanded that bodies of the COVID victims be cremated and buried with full respect.
Head priest of Gurudwara Bangla Sahib Giani Ranjit Singh said, “Religious leaders of all faiths should unite to face the corona pandemic. Corona does not distinguish between religions. This corona, the dance of death, has entered every house irrespective of religion.”
He appealed that people should unitedly help each other. “We also want to tell the government that the community is with the government,” he said.
Jain religious leader Acharya Vivek Muni appealed people to follow the medical guidelines issued by the government and the World Health Organisation.
“We should all pray to God to deliver us from the menace of corona,” he suggested
Dr. A K Merchant of the Bahai Community of India also emphasised on the unity among people to overcome the COVID calamity. Swami Vir Singh, chairman of All India Ravidasiya Dharm Sangathan also focussed on the united efforts to tackle the threat of COVID. There were many other religious leaders who also spoke at the webinar.
In his presidential address, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind vice president Engineer Mohammed Salim said that Dharmik Jan Morcha would consider the suggestions of the religious leaders including those regarding setting up medical facilities at religious premises or writing a letter to Prime Minister
Engineer Salim said, “The gist of the speeches of all religious gurus is that we should help our neighbours, provide medical treatment to the sick and invite attention of the government towards the service of humanity.”
Drawing attention of the participants towards several things, he said “First, we should repent to God for our mistakes and wrongdoings and then pray to Him for protection from dreaded coronavirus infection. Second, Almighty God wants to send us a warning through this dreaded disease and hence, we must introspect ourselves where we have gone wrong and thirdly, we should self-examine our conduct in our individual and collective life and try to correct them.”
“We should ask for forgive from our Lord Almighty. We should do this individually as well as at social level. The government also requires to introspect itself if it is properly fulfilling its responsibilities or not. Are government dispensing justice? Or government has become instruments of oppression against the people and if it is so, the government should repent for it and express sincere regret about their wrongdoings. We should also contemplate on such things during the current crisis.
Stating that the current crisis was also an opportunity to serve the people, he said, “We can conquer hate through service of humanity in this hour of great crisis.”
“When we begin to look down upon others, the Almighty Allah, Ishwar gets angry with us. So, we will have to think something constructive to do,” Engineer Salim sermonised.
The programme was conducted by Laiq Ahmed Khan.
