CHAIRMAN of the State Admin­istration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing attended the Deepavali lighting festival which is the noblest one in Hinduism traditional festivals at Shree Maha Lakshmi Temple in Yankin Township of Yangon Region yesterday evening.

The Senior General and par­ty offered flowers, water and oil lights to the Buddha image at Maha Bawdi banyan tree in the compound of the temple and paid homage to Shree Maha Lakshmi image in Hinduism tradition.

The ceremony of paying re­spect was held in accord with the Hinduism traditions. Chairman of the organizing committee vice chair of Interfaith Friendship Organization (Central) U Zaw Zaw Naing garlanded the Senior General, Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Vinay Kumar and Russian Ambassador to Myan­mar Mr Listopadov Nikolai Alex­androvich in accord with the Hin­duism traditions and honoured them with shawls.

The Senior General, the In­dian Ambassador and wife, the Russian Ambassador and Chair of the organizing committee lit the oil light to mark the Deepa­vali festival, and the organizing committee chair explained the purpose of holding the festival.

In his speech, the Senior General explained his attend­ance to the Deepavali lighting festival, saying that the lighting festivals of Myanmar Buddhists and Hindus are different in back­grounds but holding of lighting festival is the same. Section 362 in Chapter VIII of the 2008 Con­stitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar stipulates the Union also recognizes Christiani­ty, Islam, Hinduism and Animism as the religions existing in the Union at the day of the coming into operation of this Constitu­tion, and Section 363 mentions the Union may assist and protect the religions it recognizes to its utmost.

As such, the Senior General continued to say that the govern­ment provides necessary assis­tance for holding the religious ceremonies of four major faiths in the nation whereas the Head of State and Union ministers join the relevant ceremonies. The Re­public of the Union of Myanmar allows all the people to have rel­evant faiths in an independent manner. It is a good tradition that as the government has been as­sisting in all major religions in­cluding Hinduism as much as it can, all people in relevant faiths can celebrate the religious cer­emonies with essence.

The Interfaith Friendship Organization was formed with those from four major religions of Myanmar on 31 January 2008 with principles: to peacefully exist among the people of all religions with mutual respects, to give a helping hand to those needy persons in religious and social conflicts and to negotiate losses related to religions un­der the law. The Senior General urged all Hindus to support the unity of four major faiths in ac­cord with the noble principles.

The Senior General ex­pressed his wishes that may all ethnic national people residing in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar in different faiths up­holding the four cardinal virtues and advice of relevant religions to stay away from two kinds of extremism be serving the inter­ests of the mother land.