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PRESIDENT’S
ADDRESS TO THE NATION ON THE EVE OF
INDIA’S
69TH INDEPENDENCE DAY
Fellow
citizens:
1.
On
the eve of 68th anniversary of our Independence I extend warm
greetings to you and to all Indians around the world. I convey my special
greetings to members of our armed forces, paramilitary forces and internal
security forces. I also congratulate all our sportspersons who have
participated and won laurels in various tournaments in India and abroad. My
congratulations to Shri Kailash Satyarthi, Nobel Peace Prize winner for 2014,
who has done the country proud.
Friends:
2.
On
15th August 1947, we won political freedom. The birth of modern
India was a moment of historic exhilaration; but it was also tinged with the
blood of unimaginable suffering along the length and breadth of our country.
The ideals and convictions, that had held through the travails of an epic
struggle against British rule, were under strain.
3.
A
great generation of supreme heroes faced this formidable challenge. The
sagacity and maturity of that generation saved our ideals from deviation or degeneration
under the pressure of emotion, including rage. India’s pride, self-esteem and
self-respect, born from a civilizational wisdom which inspired the renaissance
that won us freedom, was distilled into the principles of our constitution by
these extraordinary men and women. We have been blessed by a constitution that
launched India’s march towards greatness.
4.
The
most precious gift of this document was democracy, which reshaped our ancient
values into a modern context and institutionalized multiple freedoms. It turned
liberty into a living opportunity for the oppressed and impoverished, offered
equality and positive discrimination to the many millions, who had suffered
social injustice, and instituted a gender revolution that has made our country
an example of progress. We abolished archaic customs and laws, and ensured
change for women through education and jobs. Our institutions are the
infrastructure of this idealism.
Fellow
citizens:
5.
The
finest inheritance needs constant care for preservation. Our institutions of democracy are under
stress. The Parliament has been converted into an arena of combat rather than
debate. It is time to recall what Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Chairman of the Drafting
Committee of the Constitution, said while making his closing speech in the
Constituent Assembly in November 1949 and I quote:
“The
working of a constitution does not depend wholly upon the nature of the
constitution. The constitution can provide only the organs of state, such as
the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. The factors on which the
working of those organs of the state depends are the people and the political
parties they will set up as their instruments to carry out their wishes and their
politics. Who can say how the people of India and their parties will behave?” (unquote)
If
the institutions of democracy are under pressure, it is time for serious thinking
by the people and their parties. The correctives must come from within.
Fellow
citizens:
6.
Our
country's rise will be measured by the strength of our values, but it will
equally be determined by economic growth and equitable distribution of the
nation's resources. Our economy promises much hope for the future. The new
chapters of the ‘India Story’ are waiting to be written. ‘Economic reforms’ is
a work-in-progress. Our performance over the last decade has been commendable;
and it is most heartening that after a dip, we have recovered to 7.3% growth in
2014-15. But the benefits of growth must reach the poorest of the poor much
before they land in the bank accounts of the richest of the rich. We are an
inclusive democracy, and an inclusive economy; there is place for everyone in
the hierarchy of wealth. But the first call goes to those who suffer on the
brink of deprivation. Our policies must be geared to meet the ‘Zero Hunger’
challenge in a foreseeable future.
Fellow citizens:
7.
The symbiotic relationship between man and
nature has to be preserved. A generous nature when violated can turn into a
destructive force leading to calamities resulting in huge loss of life and
property. Even as I speak, large parts of the nation are barely recovering from
floods. We need immediate relief for the afflicted as well as long-term
solutions for the management of both, water deficiency and excess.
Fellow
citizens:
8.
A
nation which forgets the idealism of its past loses something vital from its
future. Our educational institutions multiply as the aspirations of generations
continue to exceed supply. But what has happened to quality, from base to apex?
We recall the guru-shishya parampara with legitimate pride; why then
have we abandoned the care, devotion and commitment that is at the heart of
this relationship? A guru
much like the soft and skilful hands of a potter, moulds the destiny of shishya.
The student with devotion and humility acknowledges the debt of the teacher.
Society respects and recognizes the merit and scholarship of the teacher. Is
that happening in our education system today? Students, teachers and authorities
must pause and introspect.
Fellow
citizens:
9.
Our
democracy is creative because it is plural, but diversity must be nourished
with tolerance and patience. Vested interests chip away at social harmony, in
an attempt to erode many centuries of secularism. In an age of instant
communication through ever-improving technology, we must remain vigilant to
ensure that the devious designs of a few never overcome the essential oneness
of our people. For both government and people the rule of law is sacrosanct,
but society is also protected by something greater than law: humanity. Mahatma
Gandhi said and I quote: “You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is
an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become
dirty” (unquote).
Friends:
10.
Peace, friendship and cooperation bind nations and peoples together.
Recognizing the shared destiny of the Indian sub-continent, we must strengthen
connectivity, expand institutional capacity and enhance mutual trust to further
regional cooperation. As we make progress in advancing our interests globally,
India is also engaged in pro-actively promoting goodwill and prosperity in our
immediate neighbourhood. It is heartening that the long pending land
boundary issue with Bangladesh has been finally resolved.
Fellow citizens:
11.
While we offer our hand willingly in friendship, we cannot stay blind to
deliberate acts of provocation and a deteriorating security environment. India
is a target of vicious terrorist groups operating from across the borders.
Except the language of violence and the cult of evil, these terrorists have no
religion and adhere to no ideology. Our neighbours must ensure that their
territory is not used by forces inimical to India. Our policy will remain
one of zero tolerance for terrorism. We reject any attempt to use
terrorism as an instrument of state policy. Infiltration into our territory and
attempts to create mayhem will be dealt with a strong hand.
12.
I pay homage to the martyrs who made the
supreme sacrifice of their lives defending India. I salute the courage and
heroism of our security forces who are maintaining an eternal vigil to
safeguard the territorial integrity of our country and the safety of our
people. I also specially commend the brave civilians who boldly detained a hardened
terrorist ignoring the risk to their own lives.
Fellow
citizens:
13.
India
is a complex country of 1.3 billion people, 122 languages, 1600 dialects and 7 religions.
Its strength lies in its unique capacity to blend apparent contradictions into positive
affirmations. In the words of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, it is a country held
together and I quote: “by strong but invisible threads….. About her there is
the elusive quality of a legend of long ago; some enchantment seems to have
held her mind. She is a myth and an idea, a dream and a vision, and yet very
real and present and pervasive” (unquote).
14.
On
the fertile ground laid by our Constitution, India has blossomed into a vibrant
democracy. The roots are deep but the leaves are beginning to wilt. It is time for
renewal.
15.
If
we do not act now, will our successors seven decades hence remember us with the
respect and admiration we have for those who shaped the Indian dream in 1947?
The answer may not be comfortable, but the question has to be asked.
Thank
you.
Jai Hind!
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