Citing the contribution of Muslims to the building of modern India, Home Minister P. Chidambaram said Tuesday that India cannot view Islam as an "alien faith".
"We cannot view Islam as an alien faith. Our Muslim brethren are honoured citizens of India. This is the land of your forbears; this is the land of your birth; and this is where you will live and work. It is a matter of pride for us that all major religions of the world, including Islam, exist and thrive in India," Chidambaram told a gathering of clerics and followers at the Deoband seminary here.
