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Obama wraps up India tour, pitching for religious freedom

Xinhua, January 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

U.S. President Barack Obama wrapped up his three-day tour of India, making a strong pitch for religious freedom in this country.

"India will succeed as long as it's not splintered along religious lines," Obama said while addressing some 2,000 people at the Town Hall in the capital.

"Your Article 25 (of the Indian Constitution) says that all people are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practice and propagate religion," he added.

The U.S. president also stressed the need for both the government and every citizen to uphold religious freedom, considered to be one of the controversial topics in India.

Obama's remarks came at a time when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has been accused by rival political parties of not checking pro-Hindu activists.

After the speech that drew huge applause, Obama and his wife Michelle went straight to the airport and boarded Air Force One to fly to Saudi Arabia. Endi