Belthangady: While enraged Hindu leaders and followers of RSS culture were fuming in Mangalore, against a patently anti-Hindu bill prepared by a 7 – member committee that had no Judge in it, in a meeting at city Maidan of the port city on Wednesday an all – religious meeting was held in pilgrim centre of Dharmasthala on the same Wednesday, Nov 23, organised as part of a festival of a “lakh of lamps” celebrations to spread light internally.
The assembly of devotees of the shrine at Dharmasthala were addressed by Dharmadhikari Dr. Dharmasthala Veerendra Heggade, who explained that religions teach harmonius co-existence of all human beings, under the benevolence of a common creator known as God, who remains elusive, unknown and holds the entire world in supreme tolerance.

Only those are religions people who have understood the Truth and recognized his existence, and they appreciate his role in creation, he said.

Dr. Heggade hoped that people (in India) who professed various religions, major and minor, would live in peace and come together to perform their responsibilities as Indian citizens. He decried animal/bird sacrifices while practicing any religion, as that would not mitigate anyone’s problems or distress. He added that in Dharmasthala (a place where spiritual faith reigns), no violence is practised, even for food.

Former ISRO Chairman and space scientist, Dr. G. Madhavan Nair inaugurated the ‘Laksha Deepotsava’ seminar meet and called for humanitarian values, and practice of universal human brotherhood.

He admitted that science was not against religion, but was in search of ultimate Truth in the world matters, and that scientists also realized that there was a universal power beyond their grasp, or catch in laboratory.

Nainital MP, Ms. Maneka Gandhi, presiding over the august assembly, asked the government to pass laws to protect animals (especially assembly cows) from extinction, in the name of food and leather goods.

D. Surendra Kumar and Dr. B. Yashoverma read out citations Dr. Balasaheb Lokapur told the gathering that religion and violence can never so together, as there is only one God everywhere. Dr. Devaraj of SDM College (Mangalore) proposed a vote of thanks.