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1st LD Writethru: 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," President Obama said while addressing 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.

"In both our countries, in all countries, upholding this fundamental freedom is the responsibility of government, but it's also the responsibility of every person," he said.

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 the Air Force One to fly to Saudi Arabia.

The couple were supposed to visit to the iconic Taj Mahal, a symbol of love, just 250 km from New Delhi, but had to cut short their trip to go to Saudi Arabia to meet the new king. Endi