Want Muslims to Have Quran in One Hand and Computer in Other: PM Narendra Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that those who attacked humanity in the name of religion were in fact hurting religion itself.

“People who attack humanity in the name of religion don’t understand that the biggest casualty of their attacks is the very religion that they claim to stand for,” Modi said at the conference on ‘Islamic Heritage: Promoting Understanding and Moderation’ in the national capital on Thursday.

Jordan King Abdullah II, who landed in New Delhi on Wednesday, was also present at the conference. PM Modi also said that India had been a cradle for all religions in the world and that peace was in India’s spirit.

Stressing on the need for religion and technology to come together to combat extremist forces, the Prime Minister said: "The Government of India is leaving no stone unturned in empowering the Muslim youth. We want them to have the Quran in one hand and a computer in the other."

Taking forward Modi’s speech, King Abdullah II said that fight against terrorism was not a fight against Muslims or a particular religion but a fight against hate. “Ideologies of hate distort the word of God. Faith is supposed to draw humanity together,” the King said.

The Jordanian ruler highlighted the importance of inclusion as a path to co-existence that the world needs and said it was every Muslim’s duty to help those in need.

“We must protect strangers like we protect our own. We need to have dialogue to continue our efforts in upholding peace. We can’t afford to allow young people to be left without hope when we do have the power to draft a better future,” he said.

The Jordanian King's visit in India comes nearly three weeks after Modi travelled to Jordan as part of his trip to West Asia, including Palestine. The Prime Minister and the King will hold extensive talks on Thursday covering entire expanse of bilateral ties, official sources said, adding that the Palestine issue and ways to deal with terrorism, radicalisation and extremism are likely to figure in the deliberations.