Patna: President A P J Abdul Kalam on May 31 deprecated religious fanaticism and called for building bridges among people of different faiths to make India a safe, peaceful and prosperous nation, where the citizens can live in honour.

"I have always been impressed by our beautiful cultural and spiritual heritage, but get disturbed as people of different faiths look like living on isolated islands… Bridges need to be built and any political party or individual should not be allowed to endanger our nation" he said.

Kalam was delivering a lecture in the memory of eminent lawyer and social activist Thakur Prasad, father of Information and Broadcasting Minister Ravi Shanker Prasad.

Making a strong plea for global peace, the 'missile man' of India recited a poem, which said, "Where there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in the character. Where there is beauty in the character, there is harmony in the home. Where there is harmony in the home, there is order in the nation. Where there is order in the nation, there is peace in the world."

Kalam said he was touched when he saw a plaque at the Jal Mandir in Pawapuri, a Jain shrine, which said, "Breathe in peace and bliss and breathe out the evil."

PTI