Uniformity will be disastrous to India's social progress: President Mukherjee

Praising the people of Darjeeling for having nurtured different cultures and identities, he said unity in diversity was India's strength

Asserting that India is a multicultural and diverse nation, President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday warned against bringing 'uniformity' in society as it could prove to be 'disastrous'.

"India is a multiracial, multicultural, multilingual nation and we celebrate our diversity. We dont try to bring uniformity because we know that will be most disastrous to our social progress. Unity in diversity is a strength," the President said in an event here.

President Mukherjee attended the 202nd Birth Anniversary celebrations of great Nepali poet Bhanubhakta Acharya at Chowrasta, Darjeeling, where he stated that the poet composed his poems in Nepali but his message was for entire humanity.

Praising the people of Darjeeling for having nurtured different cultures and identities, the President said unity in diversity was India's strength.

He complimented the efforts of the state government to support different cultures and he also called upon the different communities to work with one common purpose and contribute to the development of the region.

The President's statement came in the wake of the debate over the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code in the country.