Human development flourishes with democracy: Tharoor

Democracy is a system to foster public reasoning and a way to human development, Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor has said.
"Democracy fosters an environment of openness, giving opportunities for people to take risks. It permits citizens, access to information. It shows them right to express themselves freely without fear of repercussions," Tharoor said here during a 'Friday Forum' organised by Bhutan's Royal Institute for Governance and strategic studies.
"The ability to think and debate freely without censorship, freeze the imagination leading to innovative practices that are the cornerstone of development," he said.
During his speech he also said that democracy is a response to the population and a means to reach-out to the lowest section of the society.

"Democracy creates an open discourse between the people so that their voices are heard and priorities noted. Democracy also allows disagreement to be openly expressed. The process of free and fair public discussion and contestation, gives people the power to be stakeholders in combating social issues of a local nature without the state suppressing them or coercing the outcome," said Tharoor.