NEW DELHI, Nov 23: Noting that there is disillusionment with governance and functioning of institutions, former president Pranab Mukherjee Friday said they are a mirror of national character and must immediately win back the people’s trust to save India’s democracy.
Mukherjee, who was speaking at the inauguration of a national conference on “Towards Peace, Harmony and Happiness: Transition to transformation” here, stressed the need for maintaining the delicate balance of power between institutions and the state, as provided in the Constitution.
Correctives, he said, have to come from within these institutions to restore their credibility.
“Our Constitution provides a delicate balance of power between various institutions of the state. This balance has to be maintained,” he said at the event organised by Pranab Mukherjee Foundation and the Centre for Research in Rural Development (CRRID).
In the last 70 years, the former president said, the country has established a successful parliamentary democracy, an independent judiciary and strong institutions such as the Election Commission, Comptroller and Auditor General, Central Vigilance Commission and the Central Information Commission that sustain and support our democratic structure.
The country needs a Parliament that debates, discusses and decides, and not disrupt, a judiciary that gives justice without delay and a leadership that is committed to the nation and those values that made us a great civilization, Mukherjee asserted.
We need a state that inspires confidence among people in its ability to surmount challenges before us, he said.
“In the recent past, these institutions have come under severe strain and their credibility is being questioned. There is widespread cynicism and disillusionment with the governance and functioning of these institutions. To restore this credibility, the correctives have to come from within.
“Institutions are a mirror of national character. To save our democracy, these institutions must win back the trust of the people, without any delay,” he said.
His remarks come in the wake of the recent strain between the RBI and the government.
In Mukherjee’s view, peace and harmony prevail when a nation celebrates pluralism, practices tolerance and promotes goodwill among diverse communities.
“The land which gave the world the concept of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the world is one) and the civilizational ethos of tolerance, acceptance, and forgiveness, is now in the news for rising levels of intolerance, manifestations of rage and infringement of human rights,” he added.
“Harmony prevails when we resolve the man-nature conflict and achieve a balanced growth through sustainable lifestyles.”
Peace and harmony, he asserted, prevail when the toxins of hatred, envy, jealousy and aggression are purged from our everyday lives. (PTI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
