On Monday, in presence of over a hundred sadhus, the signature campaign was started by Mahant Bhavnaath Das, chief of the Hanumangarhi temple.

Quoting a poem by Urdu poet Sahir Ludhiyanwi, “Jung maslon ka hal kya degi, jung to khud ek masla hai”, Das said, “The governments of Pakistan and the government of India should practice zero tolerance for religious extremism and terrorism in the interest of prosperity of both countries”.

Recognising that the problem of terrorism in both countries was qualitatively different, the sadhus issued a statement, which said: “We urge both governments to take all appropriate initiatives to root out the activities of fanatic and terrorist groups and catch and punish the perpetrators of acts of terror in their respective countries to make the subcontinent safe and secure for all.”

The exercise is part of an India-Pakistan Campaign Against War and Terror, organised by several NGOs from both countries. The coordinator in UP is the National Alliance for People’s Movement, said Das.

The sadhus demanded that the two governments set up a joint action and investigative agency to address the issue.

The organiser of the meeting Yugal Kishore Sharan Shastry, the Mahant of Saryu Kunj temple, said the signature campaign will continue till February 15 and the joint statement will be sent to the presidents of India and Pakistan, prominent politicians and journalists from both countries.