Government does not discriminate on basis of faith, caste: PM Modi

India has always been open to spiritual influences from many sources, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday sending out a strong message of inclusivity that his Government does not discriminate on the basis of any faith or caste.

Addressing a gathering via video conference on the occasion of 90th birth anniversary of Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan, Modi also praised the role of Mar Thoma Church in the freedom struggle.

"Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma has been particularly passionate about women empowerment and removal of poverty. The Mar Thoma Church is closely linked with the noble ideals of Saint Thomas, the Apostle of Lord Christ," said the Indian PM.

Quoting Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma "Humility which is a virtue, is always fruitful in good works", Modi said that it is with this spirit of humility Mar Thoma Church has worked to bring a positive difference in the lives of our fellow Indians, especially in areas such as healthcare and education.

The Prime Minister said that his government is guided by sensitivity and a long-term vision to make India a growth engine. He said that decisions are taken not from comfortable government offices in Delhi but after receiving feedback from people of the nation.

"Government does not discriminate among faith, gender, caste, creed or language," remarked the Prime Minister adding that the guiding light for the Centre is the Constitution of India.

He also asserted India's successful fight against coronavirus.

"India's recovery rate against Covid-19 is rising. Any loss of life is unfortunate due to Covid-19 or any other reasons. However, India's death rate per million population is under 12. To place this in a context, the death rate in Italy is 574 per million population."

He said that the figures in America, Spain, Britain and France are much higher than that of India.

The Prime minister said while trade and businesses have started to open up, there is a need to practise precautions.

Addressing the influential Church event, PM also spoke about self reliant India, saying it will bring "prosperity for every Indian".

"The aim is to increase export earning and provide more employment to over 55 lakh people," he claimed..