Kerala's newly-appointed governor Arif Mohammad Khan during a book launch 'Imam-e-Hind Ram' , in New Delhi on ... Read More

NEW DELHI: A few hours after his appointment as Kerala governor was announced, Arif Mohammad Khan on Sunday said several issues facing the country would be automatically resolved if people returned to their roots and accepted their country's ethos and heritage.

"We should feel proud of our civilisation, culture and heritage. Diversity is the biggest strength of our culture about which we should feel proud. Sadly, we have distanced ourselves from our cultural ethos," Khan said while speaking at the launch of 'Imam-e-Hind', a book in Urdu on Lord Ram, at Constitution Club.

Khan said Lord Ram was the biggest unifying factor in the country and he didn't represent one religion but was central to Indian civilisation.

"Kabir's Ram was in every living thing... Valmiki's Ram was 'maryada purushottam'. All are tied with one thread and we should give strength to the same thread," Khan said.

Asked later about the Ayodhya land dispute case, Khan said the country's ethos and heritage, which is full of unity in diversity instances, would resolve all such issues.

About his assignment as governor of Kerala, Khan said it was a great opportunity for him to learn Indian culture in a different region and was also a responsibility to see that the state government functioned as per democratic norms.

"As governor, my responsibility will be to see that the state government functions in adherence to the Constitution," Khan said and expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the assignment. "It's an opportunity to serve. I am fortunate to be born in a country like India which is so vast and rich in diversity. It is a great opportunity for me to know this part of India, which forms the boundary of India and is called god's own country," he added. Launch of the book on Ram, showcasing him as a unifying factor among all communities, comes at a time when the Supreme Court is holding day-to-day hearing in the Ayodhya case.

