Monday, August 21 2006 11:45 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday (Aug 20, 2006) said the people must meet head on the challenge posed by communalism and protect the country's unity.

"Rajivji often said that the resurgence of communalism was the greatest challenge to national unity. We must meet the challenge head on and protect our unity", Singh said at a function where the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award was conferred on eminent social worker and writer Nirmala Deshpande.

"Nirmalaji has done this boldly by highlighting the commonalities of our shared heritage," he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi said the award to Deshpande was a symbol of the values and ideals that Rajiv Gandhi fought for and sacrified his life.

Noting that those values were eroding, she cautioned that a time might come when the society and the country as a whole might have to face serious consequences.

She said no particular section of society could be held responsible for terrorism.

"I Describing Nirmalaji as a fitting and worthy recipient of this award, the Prime Minister recalled that sadbhavna (goodwill) was a distinguishing feature of Rajiv Gandhi's life and personality and this spirit is amply reflected in Nirmalaji's work and her life," she said.

Singh quoted Rajiv Gandhi's speech at the National Integration Council in 1986 that "no quarter must be given to terrorists or violent solutions to our problems when a democratic solution is available at all times".

Singh noted that Nirmalaji has gone beyond frontiers to spread Sadbhavna and has striven hard to establish goodwill and peace among India's neighbours.