Minister Says Islam Holds Noble Ideas, Denies Claim of Religious Superiority

Basavaraj Rayareddy, Karnataka’s minister for higher education, responded to backlash over remarks that praised Islam’s “excellent qualities.” In a Sunday briefing, he argued that acknowledging the strengths of one faith does not amount to declaring it superior.

“At a recent mass‑marriage program for the Muslim community, I said Islam has noble ideas. I did not say it is better than any other religion,” Rayareddy said, adding that recognizing good in one faith is compatible with respecting all others.

He recounted his travels to various sacred sites – the ghats of Varanasi, the Jyotirlingas of Shiva, Israel for Jewish studies, and China for Confucian, Taoist and Buddhist research – underscoring his scholarly approach to religion.

Regarding earlier comments about Mecca, Rayareddy clarified that his interest lay in learning about Islam, not performing the Hajj. “I cannot undertake Hajj, but I wish to study the religion in its birthplace,” he explained.

The minister stressed his humanist identity, noting, “I am not attached to any particular creed. I respect every religion and aim to extract the best teachings from each.”