Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Dinesh Oraon today said unity in diversity is the hallmark of India and everyone should continue to strengthen the roots of democracy through sheer hard work.
Addressing the Jharkhand Assembly on the opening day of the Winter Session, Oraon referred to how elaborate discussions over the statesmanship of B R Ambedkar had been deliberated in the Parliament.
The MPs, he said, had also discussed the Constitution and its objectives.
Touching upon tolerance and intolerance issues in the country, the Speaker said with its different cultures, languages and customs, India is known for its unity in diversity, which even the world acknowledges and lauds.
"...In the last 66 years the country and the states have achieved many successes. And achievements by Jharkhand in its brief 15 years of creation have also been significant," he said.
Observing the economic and social changes being witnessed as infectious, Oraon said generations may face helplessness under its impact, but "in these difficult times, we hope to make Jharkhand a prosperous and developed state in the coming years.
Recollecting Jharkhand's tumultuous political instability in the past before it got an absolute majority in 2014, Oraon said a majority mandate throws bigger challenges before the government and the legislature.
"And to fulfil these responsibilities, the role of every member in the House, council of ministers and bureaucracy is decisive.... As people's aspirations reflect through the Assembly, issues raised by the members and respecting them are the responsibilities of the government and its mechanism," the Speaker said.
Warning that any disregard in this connection could shake the belief in democracy, he cited examples how governments in several countries had changed for this reason and cited how people in the country in the past had shown the door through elections even to those who got absolute majority because of not being able to fulfil their aspirations.
"So, I understand that the more mandate (one gets), the more is the necessity for remaining vigilant," Oraon said.
Defining his neutral role as Speaker and its importance even outside the Assembly, Oraon said (his) remarks should not be taken as a censure, rather they should be taken as critical appraisal that forewarned the system.
He said taking remarks negatively was not a good sign for democracy and called upon all for commitment to strengthen the roots of democracy through hard work.
Saying that respecting he people's mandate was akin to respecting democracy, Oraon congratulated Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on his grand alliance's victory in the recently concluded Assembly elections.
