Ujjain: Warning that global warming and terrorism have become the world's biggest concerns, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that shedding the "holier-than- thou" attitude is the key to overcoming these issues and resolving conflicts.
"World's biggest concerns are global warming and terrorism... the holier than thou attitude apparently is behind them," Modi said addressing the valedictory session of the three-day international conference on "Living the Right Way" on the sidelines of Simhastha Kumbh mela here.
"The world is passing through two types of crises. On the one hand there is global warming while on the other there is terrorism. What is the solution? What is behind their genesis...simply holier than thou attitude or (the thinking) that my way is better than yours. This is the thing which is dragging us towards conflict," he said.
Strongly opposing attempts at expansionism, he said this was not a solution to the problems.
"Expansionism is another thing that is leading us towards conflict. Time has changed. Expansionism is not a solution to the problems. We should not go horizontal. It is not a solution. We need to go vertical and raise ourselves from within," Modi said.
The Prime Minister also released 51-point 'Simhastha Declaration' jointly with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan.
He said one of the major issues faced by the world is conflict management but the Indians know how to resolve the conflict and cited mythology to underscore his point.
"But we (Indians) inherit conflict management skills...Indians worship Lord Rama for his obedience and loyalty to his father and in the same breath glorify Prahlad who disobeyed his father.
"The same way Sita and Mira are also worshipped, which shows that people here are well adept at conflict management," he said, adding what the world was doing today, Indians have been practising for ages.
"World Earth Day is observed (globally). In India, when a child wakes up in the morning his or her mother asks them to seek forgiveness from the earth before putting the foot down on the ground."
Simhastha Kumbh Mela is one of world's largest spirtual gatherings held once in 12 years when lakhs of devotees, including hundreds of sadhus, take dip in river Kishipra.
The three-day conference, styled as "Vichar Mahakumbh", is organised on the sidelines of the event to discuss issues like global warming, hazards of chemical farming and benefits of organic one and women empowerment among others.
Modi said the Declaration, referred to as "Amrit Bindu", was a result of concerted efforts over two years during which experts deliberated on various issues.
"If all these powers including saints and those working selflessly for the society walk in a single direction then they can bring a major change to the society, and in that, these 51-points, in the days to come will play a major role, especially for people of India and the world," Modi said.
Extolling the virtue of Indians, Modi recalled how well off people gave up cooking gas subsidies for the benefit of the less privileged.
On well-off people giving up their subsidy on cooking gas, the Prime Minister said around one crore people had surrendered it and government now plans to give five crore cooking gas cylinder connections inthe next three years."
The PM said that this move will also protect environment (by avoiding cutting of trees) and check global warming. A woman inhales smoke of 400 cigarettes a day while cooking food by wood. Empowering them with cooking gas cylinders will improve their lot.
In an apparent reference to the US presidential polls underway, he said that candidates running elections in developed countries were fighting on the plank of family values. "They were giving pre-eminence to family values in their campaign (now)," he added.
Whereas in India, when a child is born, he or she is from the beginning itself brought up with certain values and principles.
