I am very happy to participate in these celebrations, today which marks the concluding ceremony of the celebrations of the 1950th anniversary of the arrival of St. Thomas and 450th death anniversary of St. Francis Xavier. Celebrations connected with any religion to my mind have a special significance. This is basically because all religions in their true form are one and the same. All are based on truth, fellow feeling, humility and the greatness of life in any form. It is people like us who have made religion subservient to our own selfish ends, corrupting religions from their pristine pure form to those that suit us, for our own specific purposes. In fact while doing so we are questioning the very basis of all those ideals and values on which any religion is founded and to that extent when we do so, we are as irreligious as we can be. It is in that context that I mentioned earlier that celebrations of any religion have a special significance because they then become occasions for us to remind ourselves the basic intrinsic values which are eternal and which have relevance and which are the quintessence of all religions -- a truth we can afford to forget only at our own peril.

St. Thomas, was one of the 12 disciples of Jesus. I have learnt that after Jesus Christ rose from the dead and came to the other disciples, St. Thomas was not there. He did not believe the others when they said that they had seen Jesus Christ. St. Thomas said he wanted to see Jesus for himself before he would believe the good news. So Jesus Christ appeared to him and showed St. Thomas his hands and sides which had holes in them. St. Thomas is said to have exclaimed aloud "My Lord and My God" and spent the rest of his life telling the good news to all in far away parts of the world.

St. Thomas is believed to have heralded Christianity into India 1950 years ago which in due course became one of the religions followed by our countrymen. I am not interested in the quibbling and controversies that might cloud the perception of any religion including this among the various sections but what is indisputable is the positive contribution that the believers of all religions have made to our society in the fields of education, linguistics, medicine, fine arts and so on. For a nation like that of ours which is rich in its unity in diversity, the contributions made by each religion are to be looked at with gratitude and fervour.

St. Francis Xavier, born in 1506 in the Spanish Kingdom of Navarre, came to Goa in 1542 and went on from there to Kanyakumari. History has it that he spent three years working among the pearl fishers or Paravas. History further tells us that he brought with him nothing but his all consuming love for God and for the souls of his fellow men.

Kerala is a confluence of multi-faceted developments in all societal phenomena including religion. It has an enviable record of peaceful co-existence with tolerance as the key word in all realms of human activity. Communal harmony and peace have all along been the sheet anchor of Kerala's social life and, without exaggeration, let me say this has been looked up to with envy by many.

During my long stay in Kerala one thing had always struck me as unique - in the unending, continuous line of habitations that is the hallmark of the State unlike many others in India, schools and other institutions exist that cater not to any specific community or religion but for all those who reside nearby, irrespective of the caste or religion that they belong to or the creed that they profess. This is in sharp contrast to what obtains in some other places where for specific denominations, exclusive schools and other institutions do exist. This is a glorious lesson that the State of Kerala has given to the rest of the country -- a lesson in self-respect and mutual respect, tolerance, regard for dissent and respect for diversity. I appeal to the enlightened people of Kerala to sustain and reinforce that great tradition, built assiduously on these values from time immemorial and continue to be a beacon for the rest of the country to follow. I have no doubt that with such a high level of education and literacy in the State, my appeal will not fall on deaf ears. I am sure I shall not be disappointed in my expectations.

With this note of optimism, allow me to inaugurate the concluding ceremony of the celebrations of the 1950th anniversary of the arrival St. Thomas and the 450th death anniversary of St. Francis Xavier.

My best wishes and greetings to all of you.

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