Our country welcomes argumentative Indian, not intolerant Indian: Pranab

New Delhi: Extending warm greetings on the eve of 68th Republic Day, President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday said that the nation has always welcomed argumentative Indian but not intolerant Indian.

He said that India has worked hard to fight dark forces of terrorism. Pranab also conveyed special greetings to members of armed forces, para-military forces and internal-security forces.

"I pay my tribute to brave soldiers & security personnel who made supreme sacrifice of their lives," said the President of India.

Highlighting the strength of democracy, Pranab said over 66% of the total electorate voted in 2014 General Elections. "The time is also ripe for a constructive debate on electoral reforms," he added.

Pranab Mukherjee said:

• When India attained freedom on 15th Aug 1947,we did not have an instrument of governance of our own.
• We waited till 26th January, 1950 when Indian people gave to themselves a Constitution
• We promised to promote fraternity, dignity of the individual, and unity and integrity of the nation
• Our motherland asks each of us in whatever role we play to do our duty; with integrity, commitment and unflinching loyalty
• From a population of 360 million in 1951, we are now a 1.3 billion strong nation
• We are the 2nd largest reservoir of scientific & technical manpower, 3rd largest army, 6th member of the nuclear club
• We have to work harder because; we are all equal children before our mother
• We must ensure well-being of our soldiers and security personnel who protect us from internal and external threats
• The forces inimical to our interests cannot be allowed to grow
• We have to work harder to keep at bay dark forces of terrorism; these forces have to be dealt with firml and decisively
• Reason and moderation should be our guide in dealing with such situations
• We have to work harder because our pluralistic culture and tolerance are still being put to test by vested interests
• We are 6th member in the race for space and 10th largest industrial power
• From a net food grains importing country, India is now a leading exporter of food commodities
• The journey so far has been eventful, sometimes painful, but most of the times, exhilarating
• What has brought us thus far will take us further ahead
• But we will have to learn to adjust our sails, quickly and deftly, to the winds of change
• Evolutionary and environmental will have to accommodate rapid disruptions brought in by advances of science and tech.
• Innovation, more so inclusive innovation, will have to become a way of life
• Education will have to keep pace with technology
• In the race between man and machine, the winner will have to be job generation
• The velocity of technology adoption will call for a workforce that is willing to learn and adapt
• Our education system will have to join hands with innovation to prepare our youth for life-long learning
• Our economy has been performing well despite the challenging global economic conditions
• Though our exports are yet to pick up, we have managed a stable external sector with sizeable foreign exchange reserves
• Demonetisation, while immobilizing black money may have led to temporary slowdown of economic activity
• As more and more transactions become cashless, it will improve the transparency of the economy
• Born in independent India, three generations of citizens do not carry the baggage of colonial past
• These generations have had privilege of acquiring education, pursuing opportunities & chasing dreams in a free nation
• Democracy has conferred rights on each one of us; but along with these rights, come responsibilities
• Youth today are brimming with hope and aspirations
• Lack of opportunities leads to frustration & unhappiness
• Happiness is fundamental to the human experience of life
• The quest for happiness is closely tied to sustainable development
• We must make happiness and well-being of our people as the touchstones of public policy
• Many of the flagship initiatives of the government have been designed to promote the well-being of the society
• India’s pluralism & her social, cultural, linguistic & religious diversity are our greatest strength
• Our tradition has always celebrated the ‘argumentative’ Indian; not the ‘intolerant’ Indian
• Multiple views, thoughts and philosophies have competed with each other peacefully for centuries in our country
• Our legislatures lose sessions to disruptions when they should be debating and legislating on issues of importance
• We have to work harder because our war on poverty is not yet over
• One-fifth of our countrymen still remain below poverty line
• Gandhiji’s mission to wipe every tear from every eye still remains unfulfilled
• We have to provide better amenities and opportunities to our people in villages to ensure a decent quality of life
• We have to work harder to provide enhanced employment opportunities to our youth
• We have to work harder to provide safety and security to our women and children