This week, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge—a Buddhist—attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for what he perceived to be his lack of interest in Buddhism. He questioned the PM’s Buddhist beliefs in a News 24 interview.
Buddha is regarded as Vishnu’s ninth avatar. Buddha is not allowed to get near him (PM Modi). According to Uttarakhand legislation, an individual must approach the district magistrate in order to convert to Buddhism. Even though Buddhism was created in India, PM Modi does not seem to believe in it, according to Kharge.
However, official sources indicate that this is not at all the case. They outline numerous actions that the Prime Minister has taken to demonstrate his regard for Buddhism.
The Modi administration arranged the inaugural Global Buddhist Summit in April 2023. At the ceremony last year, he stated, “Platforms like IBC (International Buddhist Confederation) are giving the opportunity to like-minded and like-hearted countries to spread Buddha Dhamma and peace.”
The creation of Buddhist circuits was mentioned by government sources as an additional step. The Modi administration has made an effort to disseminate the Buddha’s teachings. One such stage is the Buddhist circuit. It links several locations related to the life of the Buddha. Additionally, this encourages Buddhist travel, an official stated.
Another example is the establishment of the Kushinagar International Airport, which has improved connection for pilgrims from both India and overseas. In 2021, Prime Minister Modi opened an airport near the location of Lord Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana. Kushinagar International Airport honors the global community of Buddhists for their devotion.
The aim has been very apparent, according to government officials, whether it is through PM Modi’s attempts to include Vadnagar in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list or his laying of the foundation stone for the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture & Heritage at Lumbini.
The holy relics of Lord Buddha were transported from India to Mongolia as a special gesture for an exhibition. Similar to this, Lord Buddha’s and his two disciples’ holy relics were sent to Thailand for a 26-day display. In Bangkok, the relics were accepted with reverence and a lavish ceremony.
Several Buddhist institutes received financial support in order to promote and preserve Buddhist legacy both domestically and internationally.