Government wants to develop Bodh Gaya as spiritual capital of Buddhist world: PM Modi

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the government wants to develop Bodh Gaya as a spiritual capital of the Buddhist world.


"We want to develop Bodh Gaya as a spiritual capital of the Buddhist world," said Prime Minister Modi.

"I consider this Hindu Buddhist conference on conflict avoidance and environmental consciousness an important event," he added. The Prime Minister's visit to Bodh Gaya coincides with Day 3 of SAMVAD - the Global Hindu Buddhist Initiative on Conflict Avoidance and Environment Consciousness, during which the delegates for this event are present at Bodh Gaya.

 Narendra Modi on Saturday termed India as 'Buddhist India', saying the country has imbibed the values of Lord Buddha.

"I would personally call India as a 'Buddhist India', as it has imbibed the values and virtues of the teachings of Lord Buddha by the religious scholars incorporating them in their literature," Modi said while addressing the delegates on SAMVAD - the Global Hindu Buddhist Initiative.

PM Modi praying under the Bodhi Tree pic.twitter.com/JRBfJzvhcx

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"After Pandit Nehru and Atal ji, I have the honour of coming here," he added.

Modi also pointed out that Lord Buddha was a great preacher of equality and the land of Bodh Gaya has distinctive place in history of mankind. "Hinduism after Buddha's advent became Hindu Buddhism or Buddhist Hinduism," the Prime Minister added.