NEW DELHI, Jan 25:
While calling upon those in office to eliminate the trust deficit between them and the people, President Pranab Mukherjee, however, warned political parties against making promises it could not fulfil and said anarchy could not be a substitute for governance. In his address to the Nation on the eve of Republic Day, the President said, “Those in office must eliminate the trust deficit between them and the people. Those in politics should understand that every election comes with a warning sign: perform, or perish. Fr us, the Democracy is not a gift, but the fundamental right of every citizen; for those in power democracy is a sacred trust. Those who violate this trust commit sacrilege against the nation.”
At the same time, the President warned political parties not to make promises it could not fulfil to people during elections. “Elections do not give any person the licence to flirt with illusions. Those who seek the trust of voters must promise only what is possible. Government is not a charity shop. Populist anarchy cannot be a substitute for governance. False promises lead to disillusionment, which gives birth to rage, and that rage has one legitimate target: those in power. This rage will abate only when governments deliver what they were elected to deliver: social and economic progress, not at a snail’s pace, but with the speed of a racehorse. The aspirational young Indian will not forgive a betrayal of her future.”
Attributing the weakening of democratic institutions to those who were in politics for their vested interests, the President said,”some cynics may scoff at our commitment to democracy but our democracy has never been betrayed by the people; its fault-lines, where they exist, are the handiwork of those who have made power a gateway to greed. We do feel angry, and rightly so, when we see democratic institutions being weakened by complacency and incompetence. If we hear sometimes an anthem of despair from the street, it is because people feel that a sacred trust is being violated.” He, however, expressed the hope that after the fractured and contentious politics of the last few years, the year 2014 would witness a resurgence of Democracy.
“I am not a cynic because I know that democracy has this marvellous ability to self-correct. It is the physician that heals itself, and 2014 must become a year of healing after the fractured and contentious politics of the last few years. 1950 saw the birth of our Republic. I am sure that 2014 will be the year of resurgence,”the President said. In this context, he called upon the people of the country to give to the country a stable government in the coming general elections.
“This year, we will witness the 16th General Election to our Lok Sabha. A fractured government, hostage to whimsical opportunists, is always an unhappy eventuality. In 2014, it could be catastrophic. Each one of us is a voter; each one of us has a deep responsibility; we cannot let India down. It is time for introspection and action,”the President said.
Describing India as a land of great promise, the President said the coming elections was a great opportunity for the people to restore that promise.
“The promise of India has sometimes been mislaid by misfortune; at other times by our own complacence and weakness. Destiny has given us another opportunity to recover what we have lost; we will have no one to blame but ourselves if we falter,” the President said.
He said that whichever party comes to power after the 2014 general elections should be committed to stability, honesty and development of the country.
“There will be a new government before I speak to you again on the eve of our Independence Day. Who wins the coming election is less important than the fact that whosoever wins must have an undiluted commitment to stability, honesty, and the development of India,”the President said.
Terming 2014 as a precipice moment in India’s history, he said,”we must re-discover that sense of national purpose and patriotism, which lifts the nation above and across the abyss; and back on to the road of prosperity. Give the young jobs and they will raise the villages and cities to 21st century standards. Give them a chance and you will marvel at the India they can create.”
While acknowledging that healthy differences of opinion were natural in a democracy, the President, however, said they must not lead to an unhealthy strife within our polity. “A democratic nation is always involved in argument with itself. This is welcome, for we solve problems through discussion and consent, not force. But healthy differences of opinion must not lead to an unhealthy strife within our polity,”he said. Describing corruption as a cancer that erodes democracy, the President said,”corruption is a cancer that erodes democracy, and weakens the foundations of our state. If Indians are enraged, it is because they are witnessing corruption and waste of national resources. If governments do not remove these flaws, voters will remove governments.”
On the demands for smaller states in the country, the President said while the debate on such issues was legitimate, it should confirm to democratic norms. “Passions are rising over whether we should have smaller states to extend equitable development to all parts of a state. A debate is legitimate but it should conform to democratic norms. The politics of divide and rule has extracted a heavy price on our subcontinent. If we do not work together, nothing ever will work,”he said. Acknowledging that factors of instability in India had grown in the recent past, the President, however, warned that forces seeking to destabilise the country’s integrity will never win.
“We live in a turbulent part of the world where factors of instability have grown in the recent past. Communal forces and terrorists will still seek to destabilise the harmony of our people and the integrity of our state but they will never win. Our security and armed forces, backed by the steel of popular support, have proved that they can crush an enemy within; with as much felicity as they guard our frontiers. Mavericks who question the integrity of our armed services are irresponsible and should find no place in public life,”the President said. While admitting that the slowdown of the Indian economy was a cause of concern, the President, however, said there was no cause for despair.
“The last decade witnessed the emergence of India as one of the fastest growing economies in the world. The slowdown of our economy in the last two years can be some cause for concern but none for despair.
The green shoots of revival are already visible. The agricultural growth in the first half of this year has touched 3.6 per cent and rural economy is buoyant,”he said. Guarding against the ‘mindless imitation’ of the Western countries, the President said,”India must find its own solutions to its problems. We must be open to all knowledge; to do otherwise would be to condemn our nation to the misery of a stagnant mire. But we should not indulge in the easy option of mindless imitation, for that can lead us to a garden of weeds. India has the intellectual prowess, the human resource and financial capital to shape a glorious future. We possess a dynamic civil society with an innovative mindset. Our people, whether in villages or cities, share a vibrant, unique consciousness and culture. Our finest assets are human.” Describing education as an inseparable part of the Indian experience, the President called for focusing attention on the sector.
“Today, our higher educational infrastructure consists of over 650 universities and 33,000 colleges. The quality of education has to be the focus of our attention now. We can be world leaders in education, if only we discover the will and leadership to take us to that pinnacle. Education is no longer just the privilege of the elite, but a universal right. It is the seed of a nation’s destiny. We must usher in an education revolution that becomes a launching pad for the national resurgence,”he said.
(UNI)
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