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United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday paid tributes to the victims of the 26/11 terror attacks at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel in Mumbai on the first day of his three-day visit to India.
Accompanied by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, Guterres placed a floral wreath at the 26/11 attacks memorial in the hotel.
It is the UN chief's first visit to India since his second term in office commenced in January.
He had earlier visited the country in October 2018 during his first term at the top office.
Guterres landed in Mumbai on Wednesday shortly after midnight via a commercial flight from London. He was greeted by senior Maharashtra government officials on arrival.
He later drove to the Taj Mahal Palace hotel in south Mumbai, where he paid tributes to the victims of the 26/11 terror attacks.
The Taj Mahal Palace hotel was one of the targets of the horrific 26/11 terror attacks in 2008.
Later addressing the students of IIT Bombay in Mumbai, Guterres said that India's voice on the global stage can only gain in authority and credibility from a strong commitment to inclusivity and respect for human rights at home.
"As an elected member of the Human Rights Council, India has a responsibility to shape global human rights, and to protect and promote the rights of all individuals, including members of minority communities," he said.
"The Indian model of plurality is based on a simple but profound understanding: diversity is a richness that makes your country stronger. That understanding is the birth right of every Indian, but it is not a guarantee. It must be nurtured, strengthened and renewed every day," Guterres said.
This could be done by "practicing the values of Mahatma Gandhi, by securing and upholding the rights and dignity of all people, especially the most vulnerable, by taking concrete action for inclusion, recognizing the enormous value and contributions of multi-cultural, multi-religious and multi-ethnic societies, and by condemning hate speech unequivocally," he said.
Guterres also stressed the need for protecting the rights and freedoms of journalists, human rights activists, students and academics, and by ensuring the continued independence of India's judiciary.
"This is the India that the world has celebrated. I urge Indians to be vigilant and to increase your investments in inclusive, pluralistic, diverse communities and societies," said the UN chief.
"In India, as across the world, much more needs to be done to advance gender equality and women's rights. This is a moral imperative, and it is also a multiplier for prosperity and sustainability. No society can reach its full potential without equal rights and freedoms for women, men, girls and boys," he said.
Later in the day, the UN secretary general will join Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an event relating to the Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) in Gujarat's Kevadiya on October 20.
His visit to the country comes more than a week before the UN security council counter-terrorism committee holds its two-day deliberations in India.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar would hold bilateral discussions with Guterres on issues of global concern, steps to deepen India's engagement with the UN, including through the country's upcoming presidency of the G20.
In Kevadiya, Guterres is expected to pay floral tributes at the Statue of Unity, the MEA said, adding that he will also visit the country's first solar-powered village in Modhera (Gujarat) and other development projects in the area.
The UN secretary general will also visit the Sun temple in Modhera, before departing from Mumbai for Singapore late Thursday night, an official said.