Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday that the world is increasingly witnessing violence and hostility in the name of religion, and that the ancient Indian philosophy of respect for all faiths was the only way to bring peace and harmony, PTI reported. Singh was speaking at a civic reception for Philipose Mar Chrysostom, an authority of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church in Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram.

Singh said that the spirit of tolerance had been enshrined in India’s Constitution. He added that the Constitution was rooted in the ancient cultural traditions of the country. He said the people of the country “swear by and have taken a pledge to defend the Constitution”.

“I have no hesitation in accepting the fact that almost every government in this country has been tolerant towards all religions and faiths,” the home minister added. “This principle of equality and tolerance for all faiths has been a part of India’s character and sensibilities for thousands of years. Therefore, we must maintain the idea of ‘Sarva Dharma Sambhav [all religions are equal]’ in this country and continue cementing the pillars of a united India.”

“India has been united not because one religion or some theological thought held the political power or exercised control over the system,” Singh said. “Our great nation is united because it provides space to peaceful coexistence of multiple thoughts and theologies.” The home minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi ran a government which “firmly believes” in taking every section of the society along.

Singh also said India was “proud” that Kerala was home to one of the oldest churches of the world, and said Christianity’s history in the country dated back to 52 AD when Saint Thomas The Apostle visited the state. The home minister added that the Centre had awarded Mar Chrysostom with the Padma Bhushan for over six decades of contribution to Indian society.

At a Buddha Purnima event on Monday, Modi had said that India makes no distinction between religions, and has no history of attacking other countries or schools of thought.