By Matters India Reporter
Mumbai, April 14, 2026: The question before us is not only how we respond to violence, but how we ensure our own social fabric resists division, the Inter-Religious Solidarity Council (IRSC), Mumbai, said in a statement urging restraint, accountability, and renewed ethical clarity in public life.
The council’s declaration, released April 13, emphasized that “violence against innocent life cannot be justified in the name of religion or identity” and warned against the appropriation of faith to legitimize power or exclusion.
Global voices framed the urgency of the appeal.
In his Easter message, Pope Leo XIV called on leaders to “abandon every desire for conquest and domination” and to choose dialogue over war.
Rev. Munther Isaac, a Palestinian Lutheran pastor and theologian, speaking from Bethlehem, urged the world to “talk to us, not about us,” highlighting the ethical responsibility of listening to those caught in conflict.
Jewish groups in Australia also expressed concern over the human cost of recent bombings in Lebanon, underscoring that “within every faith tradition, there exist internal moral resources that resist violence and call for accountability.”
The IRSC statement placed India’s pluralism at the center of its message. “The question before us is not only how we respond to violence elsewhere, but how we ensure that our own social fabric is not shaped by the same forces of division,” the council said.
The council affirmed four principles:
• “That violence against innocent life cannot be justified in the name of religion or identity.”
• “That religious teachings must not be appropriated to legitimise power, exclusion, or political agendas.”
• “That standing in solidarity with those who suffer is a moral imperative across all traditions.”
• “That dialogue, when grounded in humility and responsibility, remains essential to sustaining peace in plural societies.”
The statement outlined objectives including protecting cultural and religious diversity, rejecting extremism, promoting compassion and solidarity, and collaborating with institutions to serve the needy.
Its final goal: “Promote peace, social justice and harmonious relations between faith communities in Mumbai.”
The IRSC described itself as a platform “dedicated to fostering dialogue, understanding, and cooperation among diverse faith communities,” rooted in secularism, pluralism, and shared humanity.
By aligning with global appeals and grounding its message in India’s own challenges of polarization and misinformation, the council sought to remind citizens that faith traditions carry ethical responsibilities beyond symbolic coexistence.
“We remain committed to creating spaces for meaningful interfaith engagement that go beyond symbolic coexistence, and that address the ethical challenges of our times with honesty and care,” the statement concluded.