India a 'living example' of place where all traditions can live together: Dalai Lama

Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, on Thursday hailed India's thousand years-old-tradition of secularism and said the country was a 'living example' of a place where all traditions can live together.

"In any society or country there are some people whose views are short sighted and narrow minded but India as a whole is living example of a place where all traditions can live together," the Dalai Lama told ANI here, while reacting to a query about the recent attacks on churches in Haryana and Delhi and the horrific gang-rape of an elderly nun in West Bengal's Nadia District.

"Thousand years old India's tradition of secularism is very, very wonderful. According to Indian understanding of secularism, respect all religions but also respect non-believers, this is important in today's world," he added.

He was speaking days after an under-construction church in Hisar's Kaimri village was demolished by miscreants. A flag with 'Shri Ram' written on it was also placed at the venue.

The villagers were reportedly angry over alleged efforts by a priest to convert the locals to Christianity.

The police have registered a case against 14 people named by the priest and have started an investigation into the matter.

This followed last Saturday's incident in West Bengal's Nadia district, where a 72-year-old nun was gang raped by dacoits.

A study of CCTV footage at the convent shows four persons allegedly committing the crime.

So far, ten persons have been detained in connection with the crime.