Kazakhstan, Astana, Dec. 14 /Trend's D. Mukhtarov /
In order not to slip back into the Middle Ages, the religious situation in Kazakhstan requires a correct assessment, President Nursultan Nazarbayev said.
"We have to stay away from events alien to our mentality. Certainly, we are Muslims and we are Sunnis. This is the path, selected by our ancestors based on respect for national traditions and respect for parents," Nazarbayev said at the meeting devoted to 21st anniversary of the country's independence.
However, in his opinion, today, 'some external forces are recruiting young people, forcing them to leave the true path of Islam and choose wrong directions.'
"According to them, we not only have to make our sisters and daughters hide their faces, but also not sit at the same table with them. They should not drive, should not move freely, and should not receive education. How are we supposed to bring them up then?" the head of state said.
"I am leading our youth to the XXI century and the XXII century, while these problems drag us back to the Middle Ages," Nazarbayev said.