It is customary for the President to speak to the nation on the eve of annual Republic Day. The address generally touches on current issues and how the government tackles these at various levels. In particular, the address points to economic scenario in the country and the developmental process underway as these are of vital importance to the masses of the people. President Pranab Mukherjee is deeply and rightly concerned about a vast number of people in the country who are still living below poverty line. That is why in his interaction with the academicians and students, he invariably touches on the importance of innovations in science and technology that would contribute in some way in alleviating the deprivation and poverty of a huge segment of Indian society. Heavy responsibility devolves on the shoulders of state leadership to give right direction to innovative efforts in research institutes and organizations in the country.
For last two decades a very ugly and threatening phenomenon has overtaken the globe. It is the lengthening shadow of terror and violence that has already spread over a part of the globe and is gradually extending its fangs in various regions of the world including India. He minced no words that terror in its various forms and manifestations is a cancer that needs the scalpel effectively and decisively. Mankind has never faced such a challenge as is thrown by international terror. The more strange part of it is that the perpetrators of terror consider their act approved by faith. No religion teaches violence and as such there can be no justification for any region, group or person to harbor violence against humankind. Those who claim that they are discharging a religious duty by killing innocent men, women and children have no religion, no faith and no conviction. Assuring the nation that good shall prevail over bad and virtue over vice, the President said that it was very important that we impart teaching and training to the younger generation that helps them in developing their personality to absorb shocks of life. He said that personalities developed in unhealthy social milieu get deformed and destabilized and that is a loss to the society as a whole. The tendency of embracing violence and using it as an instrument of state policy was actually reflective of a state run by under developed personalities. Their whims and eccentricities cannot be accepted and violation of border cannot be pardoned when we know there are not good intentions behind that. The President said that misunderstandings and irritation between neighbours is nothing unknown and uncommon. But the right way of approach to disputes is a dialogue conducted through the instrument of reason and logic. There is no other way of solving a dispute if there is one.
On the positive side, the President said that there is good scope for the sub-continent to open new opportunities of development and progress. Science and technology have opened vistas of progress and the sub-continent should seize the opportunity by forelock. It can become a beacon light for the whole world because it has the resources, man power, cultural background and the energy of the youth.
The address touched on various aspects of national policy. While lauding the benefits of an honest dialogue for resolving bilateral disputes, the President said that the instinct of using violence and proxy war as the instrument of state policy is not acceptable in any way and shall be resisted tooth and nail. However, turning to domestic politics, the President made subtle allusion to the recent logjam in the Parliament that did not allow GST bill to be debated though it is of utmost importance to the nation. The Parliamentarians and those who run the government to develop the faculty of tolerance and understand the importance of issues in national perspective. We are at a critical stage of development and the goal before us is that India should transit from deprived and developing country to developed country. This is a tedious thing but only through perseverance and dedication to national cause we can achieve that goal. He said that the country had overcome economic stalemate and was poised for more than 7 per cent development during the current year. In that sense India was world’s fastest growing economy. All we need is peaceful atmosphere in and out of the country. This is the reason why international peace is very dear to India.
Touching on the issue of treatment of women, the President said that women have to be shown due respect. How far we are able to ensure respect is a litmus test of our good governance. Showing respect to women has to be our national character and it will not be compromised at any cost. We find many cases of molestation of women happening every week and every month in one or the other part of the country. Molestation is sometimes politicized though it is a social issue. Politicians do politics with miss-treatment of women whereas it is a social issue and can be tackled at that level.
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