Hatred and intolerance dilutes national identity, Pranab at RSS hq, calls for dialogue

Warning that hatred and intolerance diluted national identity, former President and Congress veteran Pranab Mukherjee today spoke from an RSS platform to declare nationalism was not bound by race or religion, as he called for dialogue to reconcile differences.

As his visit to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur to address the new recruits of the organisation sparked criticism from some Congress leaders including his daughter, Mukherjee, 82, cautioned that any attempt to define India through "religion, dogma or intolerance" will only dilute the country's existence.

Declaring that India's soul resides in pluralism and tolerance, Mukherjee said he is convinced that nationalism can only come out of the ideological fusion of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and other groups in India.

He also called for freeing public discourse from fear and violence. "Every time a woman and child is hurt, the soul of India is wounded."
"From our Constitution, flows our nationalism. The construct of Indian nationalism is constitutional patriotism, which consists of an appreciation of our inherited and shared diversity... Secularism and inclusion are a matter of faith for us. It is our composite culture which makes us into one nation."
Mukherjee, who served as President of India between 2012 and 2017, said, "Every day, we see increased violence around us. At the heart of this violence is darkness, fear and mistrust. We must free our public discourse from all forms of violence, physical as well as verbal."