Varsities must not propagate culture of unrest: Pranab
NEW DELHI: President Pranab Mukherjee said that premier higher education institutions must resound with creativity and free thinking and not “propagate a culture of unrest”.
He also pitched for re-discovering the “sense of national purpose and patriotism”, at a lecture that assumed significance in the backdrop of the ongoing row in Delhi University (DU).
With DU on the boil after the clashes between the BJP’S student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and others, the larger issue of “nationalism” has once again become a point of ideological contention between the BJP and the Opposition parties.
Mukherjee observed that “it is tragic to see them (education institutes) caught in the vortex of violence and disquiet,” days after clashes in Ramjas college between ABVP and Left-leaning students on February 22.
“These temples of learning must resound with creativity and free thinking. Those in universities must engage in reasoned discussion and debate rather than propagate a culture of unrest. It is tragic to see them caught in the vortex of violence and disquiet,” he said in 6th KS. Rajamony Memorial Lecture in Kerala.
The President believes that national purpose and patriotism can “alone lift our nation on to the road of sustained progress and prosperity” even as he maintained there should be no room for “the intolerant Indian”.
“Our society has always been characterised by the open contestation of diverse thought and debate. There must be space for legitimate criticism and dissent,” Mukherjee said.
“The nation and the people must always come first. Let us strive to arrest the moral decline in our society and ensure that our core civilisational values find firm root. Let us exert our selves to strengthen India’s plu ralism and diversity. Let us be uncompromising in rooting out violence, prejudice and hatred,” he added.
The President recalled the story of Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the US When he came out after the deliberations of the 1787 Consti tution Convention, a lady had asked him if the country has got a Republic or Monarchy. Frank lin had replied, “A Republic, if you can keep it.” Mukherjee nar rated the story to underline the role of the citizens in a country
In his speech, Mukherjee maintained that the nation and the people must always come first even as he maintained that people’s trust in political system should not be betrayed. “No one who holds any elected office has been invited by the voters to occupy that office.”
JNU ‘BEST UNIVERSITY’
Jawaharlal Nehru University has won the annual Visitor’s Award for the ‘Best University’ 2017. “It won the award for its overall academic excellence including quality of students research and publications,” President’s office told HT.