By Andalib Akhter /
The President Pranab Mukherjee has said that India’s democracy is creative because it is plural and asked people to thwart any attempt to erode centuries of secularism in the country
Addressing the nation on the eve of 69th Independence Day, Mr Mukherjee said ” Our democracy is creative because it is plural, but diversity must be nourished with tolerance and patience. Vested interests chip away at social harmony, in an attempt to erode many centuries of secularism. In an age of instant communication through ever-improving technology, we must remain vigilant to ensure that the devious designs of a few never overcome the essential oneness of our people.
He said for ‘ both government and people the rule of law is sacrosanct, but society is also protected by something greater than law: humanity’ . Mahatma Gandhi said and I quote: “You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty” (unquote).
President also said that Peace, friendship and cooperation bind nations and peoples together. ” Recognizing the shared destiny of the Indian sub-continent, we must strengthen connectivity, expand institutional capacity and enhance mutual trust to further regional cooperation”.
“As we make progress in advancing our interests globally, India is also engaged in pro-actively promoting goodwill and prosperity in our immediate neighbourhood. It is heartening that the long pending land boundary issue with Bangladesh has been finally resolved” president stressed.
He sai that the finest inheritance needs constant care for preservation. Our institutions of democracy are under stress. The Parliament has been converted into an arena of combat rather than debate.