Search the Internet          Tips

Ceasefire in J&K is a bold and
imaginative step: Narayanan

In his address to the nation on the eve of the 52nd Republic Day, Narayanan said India had always thought of the world and the happiness of the world, especially its neighbours, and he had no doubt that ''through the firmness of our determination and through the exercise of our traditional tolerance, India will triumph in the end''.

The President said there was need to ''think of peace and work for it sincerely and tenaciously so that we can get rid of the scourge of terrorism from this land''.

He noted that the ceasefire had attracted world attention and had gladdened the hearts of the people of Kashmir, suffering from violence by militants and terrorists.

Touching on a wide range of problems facing the country, and environmental degradation in particular, Narayanan said that development should not mean building ''on the destruction of the green earth and the innocent tribals who have been living there for centuries''.

While ''the awakening of the women and youth is something that gives us hope'', Narayanan said the march of development was having different kinds of impact on different sections of the people. It tended to ''widen the existing inequalities and create new inequalities'' he said and added that backward classes were the greatest sufferers.

Referring to large river valley projects that uprooted tribals, causing them untold misery, the President said one pre-condition for such developmental projects should be to explain their benefits to tribals and consult them with regard to protection of their livelihood and cultures. When they have to be displaced, resettlement schemes should be discussed with them and implemented with sincerity as this could avoid many critical situations.

The President criticised demands for introducing a system of indirect elections in the country. Lauding the ''audacious and revolutionary act'' and faith shown by founding fathers of the Constitution in giving the right of franchise to every adult citizen, he said, ''It was necessary to look back to this faith when we hear voices pleading for a system of indirect elections.''

He said the framers of the Constitution had the wisdom and foresight not to over-emphasise the importance of stability and uniformity in the political system. He noted that the right of adult franchise was something for which countries of the west had to struggle for almost a hundred years.

Recalling events in neighbouring Pakistan, he said, ''It would be an irony of history if we invoke today in the name of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, the shades of political ideas of Field Marshal Ayub Khan, the father of military rule in Pakistan.''

Narayanan said it was important to remember that it was under the flexible and spacious provisions of the Constitution that democracy had flourished during the last 50 years and the country had achieved unprecedented unity and cohesion as a nation and made remarkable progress in social and economic fields. ''We have managed to accommodate the globalisation process without losing our distinctiveness as a culture and a civilisation and without compromising the independence we secured after a long and heroic struggle.''

ALSO SEE:
Large River Valley Projects Concern Prez

Full text of the President's speech

UNI

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report