New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) Union minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said that ideologies are meant to unite mankind and not divide them, and stressed on the need to debate and discuss ideologies.

Speaking at an event organised by the Jawaharlal Nehru University to commemorate the National Youth Day, the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, he said, "The ideologies should not draw demarcation in institutions."

Also Read | Omicron is Not Just Common Cold, Don’t Take it Lightly, Says Dr VK Paul.

Singh also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said he has been making efforts to strike a balance between science and spiritualism.

"Swami Vivekananda had said that where science ends religion begins and where religion ends science begins. We had made it into a superstition and put stamps for our reference. While religion has to be practised with scientific concentration, science has to be followed with religious devotion. If only we could endevaour in that direction...," he said.

Also Read | PM Narendra Modi to Discuss COVID-19 Situation With Chief Ministers on January 13.

He said the prime minister has been simultaneously honouring spiritualism and honouring science and trying to draw a connect and strike an optimum balance between the two.

"When he was talking about yoga at the United Nations, he was simultaneously serving spiritualism and oriental ethos," Singh said during the webinar.

The minister also called it strange that the "World Brotherhood Day" is being celebrated to honour Swami Vivekananda's legacy as people have to be told that their fellow human beings deserve compassion and love.

Noting that the University has been '"diligently handled" by vice-chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar, he said that ideologies are supposed to bring people together.

"Ideologies are meant to unite mankind and not meant to divide and it's not fair to get into the trap of getting divided by ideologies. If we can discuss and debate ideologies then that would be true homage to Swami Vivekananda. The ideologies should not draw demarcation in institutions. That is important for an oriental society like ours," he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)