“Communalism and terrorism have become a big challenge to our unity and integrity. Some misguided people of our society encourage them. But due to this, our whole society and country get a bad name. To face this challenge we will have to work together. We need to be vigilant at all times,” Singh said while addressing a function here to present national communal harmony awards.
Dr Singh said some elements in the society were promoting communal disharmony and it needs to be defeated.
“In our country, there has been a strong tradition of mutual tolerance and communal brotherhood. 
Respecting our unity and integrity is an important part of our culture. We have to keep up this tradition,” he said.
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, the Prime Minister said our desire for unity can be achieved only when we have a feeling of large-heartedness and love towards each other.
Peace and communal harmony is possible in our country only if all our citizens actively participate in achieving it. We all have to take the message of tolerance and brotherhood to every corner of the country.
Addressing the function, Vice President Md Hamid Ansari said that the promotion of communal harmony by the State is fundamental necessity to preserve social integrity.
“The state has no choice but to intervene in instances of communal disharmony. Such interventions can either be preventive or corrective in nature. The general focus has remained on corrective steps due to the intense focus and interest in the wake of incidents of communal disharmony,” VP said.
Home Minister Chidambaram said the National Communal Harmony Award was constituted in 1996 to recognise the contribution of those individuals and organisations who have worked to further the cause of communal harmony and national integration
The Vice President conferred the awards on Dr Mohommad Hanif Khan Shastri and Acharaya Lokesh Muni in the individual category and the Centre for Human Rights and Social Welfare, Rajasthan in the Organisation category.
Shastri, who works with Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, has endeavoured to promote communal harmony by highlighting similarities between Hindu and Muslim religions through his unique literary contributions in Hindi and Sanskrit. He was conferred the award for the year 2009.
Through his works, Shastri has tried to show similarities between the Quran and Hindu mythology.
Acharya Muni is the Founder President of Ahimsa Vishwa Bharati, a Delhi based voluntary organisation, which aims at promoting non-violence, peace, communal harmony, working against female foeticide and drug addiction and providing help during natural calamities. He was given the award for 2010.
He had worked to de-escalate Hindu Muslim strife after the Jama Masjid explosion in 2006 and tension between Dera Sacha Sauda and the Sikh community in 2007.
The Centre for Human Rights and Social Welfare, which was conferred the award for 2009, is a Jaipur based social organisation which has been working for human rights, communal harmony and national integration apart from working for the homeless persons, welfare of women, footpath dwellers, rehabilitation of the needy and deprived persons.
It is also active in holding blood donation camps, solving drinking water problems, providing shelter for destitute women from different communities and promoting fraternity and social harmony.