'Future of India should be free from caste', Vice President inaugurates Sivagiri pilgrimage

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vice President Venkaiah Naidu on Monday inaugurated the 87th annual pilgrimage of Sivagiri Mutt in Varkala. The function was attended by several prominent personalities including Union minister V Muraleedharan, former CM Oommen Chandy, minister Kadakampally Surendran, pilgrimage committee secretary Swami Vishalananda and Gokulam Gopalan. Governor Arif Mohammed Khan presided over the function.

While delivering the inaugural address, vice president Venkaiah Naidu said that the future of India should be free from caste."Let this pilgrimage be a new beginning. Though Gurudevan was born as a Hindu, he was not inclined towards any particular religion and considered every religion to be equal. He also rejected all those trends including the caste system that divided humans. We must copy his thoughts into our lives. People from different castes, religions, races and countries come to participate in this pilgrimage. Let us make the future of India free from caste and race. I would like to urge all political parties to make this happen," he said.