Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent speech on religious tolerance have sparked debate amongst various personalities in India.

"My government will ensure that there is complete freedom of faith and that everyone has the undeniable right to retain or adopt the religion of his or her choice without coercion or undue influence," Modi had said on February 17 in front of Indian Catholics during a celebration of the canonisation of two new Indian saints.

This was the first the Prime Minister had spoken out on the issue of religious tolerance after successive attacks by Hindus against members of religious minorities, including Christians and Muslims.

The statement provoked different reactions from religious, secular and political groups.

Imam Mukarram Ahmed of the Fatehpuri Mosque in Old Delhi said in an article in The Guardian that Modi only spoke out after intense criticism from abroad.

"One must think then: is this statement coming out of conviction or helplessness and pressure?" Ahmed asked, noting that the statement might be for the global audience, not the domestic. Nevertheless, the Imam acknowledged Modi's action as the "right thing" to do.

Surendra Jain, the joint general secretary for the Hindu nationalist group Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), suggested that Modi was in fact addressing Christians and not Hindus.   

"The PM's message was aimed at those who attack other religions. It's the Christian missionaries which publish literature insulting Hindu deities, run hate campaigns and insult Hinduism in general," Jain said on the Times of India.

The VHP is known for its ghar vapasi or "reconversion" programmes that aims to restore Indians to Hinduism.

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, chief of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), welcomed Modi's statement, saying that it would send the right signal to the world. Sayeed said on the Economic Times that it could also help silence the "loose cannons of extremist schools of thought." 

Christian organisations said they expect the Prime Minister to make good on his promises.

"We want the government to take strong actions against fringe elements and all people who disturb religious harmony, especially his own party men and [rightwing Hindu] groups who make provocative statements," Father Savarimuthu Shankar, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Delhi, was quoted by The Guardian as saying.