Cannot fight terror with guns only, says Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said terrorism could not be defeated with "bombs and guns" only but also by strengthening moderate voices that condemn it as "un-Islamic".

Addressing the Indian diaspora in the Belgian capital, Modi said he had been speaking to leaders from various communities around the world and explaining to them how connecting terrorism to any particular religion was wrong because “no faith teaches terrorism”.

“Terrorism needs to be de-linked from any religion,” Modi said.

He told the gathering of the Indian community in Belgium how India recently hosted a Sufi conference of Muslim scholars from across the world in Delhi where liberal Islamic scholars spoke “in one voice" to denounce terrorism.

“They (the speakers) stated that terrorists who speak of Islam are un-Islamic,” Modi recalled.

He said that the world needed to strengthen such voices to prevent youth from being radicalised. “We cannot fight terrorism with bombs, guns and pistols only,” he stressed.

“The right atmosphere has to be created to end terror.” - IANS