Addressing a function to commemorate Gurupurab, the birth anniversary of the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev, Dr Abdullah said: "Who among us takes birth in what religion is decided by God and the human beings have no power on that."
"If I had been born in the home of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, then I would have been a Kashmiri Pandit or if Indira Gandhi had been born in my home, she would have been a Muslim. “What matters is that all of us are Indians and together we have to protect this country from those who are spreading hatred against Muslims for power," he said.
In a veiled attack on the BJP without naming it, Dr Abdullah told the gathering: "Today your lands are being taken away. You work in industries, but those are owned by outsiders. If you want to carry forward the true message of Guru Nanak Devji then you have to love all religions and all people."
He said that the world was a better place in his youth and childhood and people were honest and truthful.
"Where has that simplicity and honesty gone? Today we know nothing about each other. Times have become really bad and the only way to save the country is to join hands and fight those who spread hatred among communities," he said asserting that no community can fight this war against hatred alone.
"All of us, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, and Jains have to fight it out together," he said.