Spiritual leaders come together for Satyarthi’s safe childhood campaign

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) Spiritual leaders from across different faiths and beliefs have joined Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation to forge the motto of 'Surakshit Bachpan, Surakshit Bharat' (Safe Childhood, Safe India).

The leaders on a Friday joined a roundtable hosted by the organisation led by Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi to fight violence against children and pledged support to work towards freedom of children.

These faith leaders included Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Secretary General Mohammad Salim Engineer, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Secretary Syed Aziz, Arya Yuva Kendra head Anil Arya, Church of North India General Secretary Alwan Masih, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of India's Director Nilakshi Rajkhowa, Nizamuddin Dargah head Ajmal Nizami, anf Sant Nirankari Mission General Secretary C.L. Gulati.

Also present at the conference were Anglican Church of India's Archbishop Samuel P. Prakash, Brahma Kumaris' Bhramkumar Sushant, Vishwa Jagrati Mission Director Ram Mahesh Mishra and Sadhvi Jaya Bharti, Swami Vishwanand, and among others.

The religious prelates endorsed the agenda of working to eradicate child sexual abuse, trafficking, sexual exploitation and other forms of violence against children to create a safe and fear free India for children today and tomorrow.

"Violence against children is a very important issue in this country. We will support you, the cause and the campaigns wherever you will go," said Engineer said during the discussion.

"Be assured of our support to the campaign, the Church supports you as the cause is a very noble one", said Archbishop Prakash.

Satyarthi said faith communities are the largest and most organised civil institutions in the society as they claim the allegiance of billions of believers and bridge the divide of race, class and nationality and their influence can contribute effectively to ending violence against children.

"This roundtable seeks to bring all faiths' leaders together under the same roof who will commit to supporting the cause of ending violence against children and mobilising their followers to join and pledge for this cause.

"Children are always the worst victims of all forms of violence. Sexual abuse is among the gravest and is growing at an alarming rate," he said.

Satyarthi further added that this is a crime, an evil and the "reflection of societal sickness hidden beneath the widespread silence of social taboo".

"It is the moral obligation of all faith leaders to help break this silence. Protecting God's children, I believe, is the most powerful act of worship," he said.