Navy maintains spirit of secularism: RK Dhowan

New Delhi: Amid raging debate on religious intolerance in the country, Navy Chief Admiral RK Dhowan on Thursday asserted that his force was "totally secular" and every ship of the Indian Navy was a microcosm of India.

Underlining that secularism starts from individual and the smallest unit, he said the Navy maintains the spirit of secularism.

"I would like to talk about how it is in the Navy. Every ship of the Indian Navy is a microcosm of India, where we have personnel from every single state representing, including every religion as well.

"Therefore Navy is totally secular in nature and it starts from our individual and smallest unit. That trend and that feeling, and that spirit is maintained in the..." he said.

He was replying to a question on whether the issue of radicalisation, abetted by religious intolerance, is fast becoming a national and global threat.

The reporter had cited the open letter written by former Navy chief Admiral Ramdass to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee besides the plan by a defence think tank to organise a talk on the threat of radicalisation.