FREE PUBLIC DISCOURSE FROM VIOLENCE, SAYS PRANAB IN LAST ADDRESS
NEW DELHI: In his last message to the nation, President Pranab Mukherjee said “India’s soul lives in pluralism and tolerance”, and if divergence in public discourse is stopped, the country’s fundamental character may go.
The outgoing President’s parting shot, a day before he demits office comes in the backdrop of growing intolerance and a reign of violence in the name of cow vigilantism in many states that has even left Prime Minister Narendra Modi worried.
From Rajasthan to Jharkhand, in many BJP-ruled states, Muslims and Dalits have been targeted by self-styled cow protection groups and, in many cases, beaten to death.
“The multiplicity in culture, faith and language is what makes India special. We derive our strength from tolerance. We may argue, we may agree or we may not agree, but we cannot deny the essential prevalence of multiplicity of opinion. Otherwise, a fundamental character of our thought process will wither away,” Mukherjee said in his last address to the nation on Monday.
“The capacity for compassion and empathy is the true foundation of our civilisation. But every day, we see increased violence around us. Only a non-violent society can ensure the participation of all sections of the people, especially the marginalised and the dispossessed in the democratic process,” Mukherjee said.
Hours later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi showered praises on him and said the outgoing President’s experience and words will guide him in future. “Even as Pranabda embarks upon a new innings, his vast experience will continue to help me and the nation.”
The PM said he felt “fortunate” that he could meet and freely talk with Mukherjee any time. “He listened to me patiently. He gave suggestions when required, but mostly encouraged me like a father figure. He helped me a lot in understanding issues and that’s why we could do many important work,” Modi said.
Earlier, the President said in his address to the nation that “the highest honour in our democracy does not lie in any office but in being a citizen of India.” “I am humbled by their kindness and affection. I have received much more from the country than I have given. For that, I will remain indebted.”
Mukherjee, however, maintained that the essential fundamentals for a modern nation have to be “democracy, secularism, equality of every region, and economic equity. For development to be real, the poorest of the land must feel that they are a part of the nation’s narrative.”
He reminded that when India’s founding fathers adopted the Constitution, powerful forces were set in motion to liberate India from inequity in gender, caste and community along with other fetters that had tied the country for too long.