President flags 'intolerance', 'unreason'

Reminds legislators of their duty as lawmakers; says education must be open-minded

Reminding both sides of Parliament that they should be responsible, President Pranab Mukherjee ticked off both the government and the Opposition in his pre-Republic Day address.

He said all Indians must guard against forces of violence, intolerance and unreason, but added reform and progressive legislation were necessary for reform and that it was “the bounden duty of the law makers to ensure that such legislation is enacted after due discussion and debate. A spirit of accommodation, cooperation and consensus-building should be the preferred mode of decision-making. Delays in decision-making and implementation can only harm the process of development”, indicating his disapproval of the role played by the Congress in holding up proceedings in the Rajya Sabha.

On India’s 67th Republic Day, Mukherjees said there was much to celebrate. Although 2015 had been a year of challenges, because of the subdued global economy and unpredictability in the commodity markets, India’s economy also had to face the blowback.

“Weak investor sentiments led to withdrawal of funds from emerging markets including India, putting pressure on the Indian rupee. Our exports suffered. Our manufacturing sector is yet to recover fully,” Mukherjee said.

But, he added, “This year, with an estimated growth rate of 7.3 per cent, India is poised to become the fastest growing large economy. Contraction in global oil prices has helped maintain external sector stability and control domestic prices. Despite occasional setbacks, industrial performance this year has been strong.”  

However, the President flagged several issues. “Each of us has the right to lead a healthy, happy and productive life in India. This right has been breached, especially in our cities, where pollution has reached alarming levels. Climate change has acquired real meaning with 2015 turning out to be the warmest year on record. Multiple strategies and action at various levels is necessary,” he said.

Mukherjee had a lot to say on education, possibly in the light of the happenings in Hyderabad and other universities.

“An ecosystem that fosters critical thinking and makes teaching intellectually stimulating is necessary. It must inspire scholarship and encourage unfettered respect for knowledge and teachers. It must instill a spirit of reverence towards women that will guide social conduct of an individual throughout his life. It must breed a culture of deep thought and create an environment of contemplation and inner peace. Through an open-minded approach to the wider spectrum of ideas emanating from within, our academic institutions must become world-class,” he said.

About the Prime Minister’s outreach to Pakistan, he counselled caution: “Nations will never agree on everything; but the challenge today is existential. Terrorists seek to undermine order by rejecting the very basis of strategic stability, which are recognised borders. If outlaws are able to unravel borders, then we are heading towards an age of chaos. There will be disputes among nations; and, as is well-known, the closer we are to a neighbour, the higher the propensity for disputes. There is a civilised way to bridge disagreement; dialogue, ideally, should be a continual engagement. But we cannot discuss peace under a shower of bullets.”

Mukherjee quoted Tagore’s words from Nutan Yuger Bhore: Cholaay cholaay baajbey joyer bheree – paayer begeyi poth ketey jaay, korish ney aar deri (Move ahead, the roll of drums announce your triumphal march; With feet of glory, you shall cut out your own path; Delay not, delay not, a new age dawns).