History should promote secularism, democratic values, not hatred, says Kuldeep Nayyar

History should promote secularism and democratic values, not hatred, said noted journalist Kuldeep Nayyar on Thursday.

By Ravinder Singh Robin

Amritsar, Dec.27 : History should promote secularism and democratic values, not hatred, said noted journalist Kuldeep Nayyar on Thursday.

Addressing the inaugural session of the 28th All India Persian teachers Conference here, Nayyar also lamented the lack of a common market between India and its neighbours in the Asian region.

"There should be one common market from Iran to Burma while keeping regional and national diversities. All borders should only be laqeers (lines). India has good relations with Iran and Afghanistan. They are from one culture having similar way of living," said Nayyar.

The writing or rewriting of history should be assigned to an international commission and "we should strive for a new region full of democratic values and secular ethos," added Nayyar, a former Member of Parliament.

The event, which is being held at the Guru Nanak Bhawan of the Guru Nanak Dev University, was also attended by Ambassadors S.M. Nabi Zadeh of Iran and Sayed Makhdoom Raheen of Afghanistan, besides Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti of Akal Takht Sahib.

It has been jointly organised by the Department of Guru Nanak Studies of the University and the All India Persian Teachers Association.

Nayyar said Islam does not believe in the killing of innocent people, but believes in promoting peace at the global level, and the task before all was to promote the economic development of the Asian Continent. He also suggested that the political parties should not mix religion with politics to procure votes.

ANI