NEW DELHI, June 15. - A pledge taken to promote the acceptance and respect for all religions, economic and social well-being and practice of ahimsa (non-violence) nine months back was established today by registering a society named Foundation for Unity of Religions and Enlightenment of Citizenship.
This was done in the presence of President APJ Abdul Kalam at Rashtrapati Bhavan by the signatories of Surat Spiritual Declaration. On 15 October last year, on the President’s birthday, various religious sects supported by the Jain Vishwa Bharti Institute made the SSD and today it was registered. The society will combine objectives of the SSD and President’s Vision 2020 to carry out the task.
Dr Kalam said he was delighted to participate in the project and spoke about his spiritual pilgrimage to various parts of the country. He suggested a novel way to involve citizens in nation-building, saying all devotees who visit religious places be asked to take a vow to do something for society.
Among the vows suggested by him were that each devotee pledge to educate five children, dig one pond in his neighbourhood or a nearby village, remove enmity within his family and withdraw court cases, plant five fruit-bearing trees, not succumb to temptation of addictive substances and treat male and female children equally.
Translations of the SSD in two South Indian languages were presented to Dr Kalam.