Remember the gift of Ahimsa, says President Ram Nath Kovind

Though the President did not make any reference to the Citizenship
(Amendment) Act (CAA), his comments are to be read against the backdrop of the
nationwide protests against it.

“When fighting for a cause, people, particularly the youth, should not forget
the gift of Ahimsa Gandhiji gave to humanity. Gandhiji’s talisman for deciding
whether an act is right or wrong also applies to the functioning of our
democracy,” he said.

“It should be part of our daily routine to introspect on Gandhiji’s message
of truth and non-violence, which has become all the more necessary in our
times,” he said.

People power

He said the modern Indian state comprised three organs — legislature,
executive and judiciary — that were interlinked and interdependent, but it was
the citizens who made up the state.
“We the people are the prime movers of the Republic. With us, the people of
India, rests the real power to decide our collective future,” he said.
Mr. Kovind stressed that the government and the Opposition had important
roles to play, and “while giving expression to their political ideas, both must
move forward in tandem to ensure the development of the country.”
Mr. Kovind stressed how Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals were more than relevant in
the present times, and pointed out that the Constitution not only guaranteed
rights to every citizen but also placed a responsibility to follow the tenets of
democracy — justice, liberty, equality, fraternity.
“It becomes easier for us to follow these constitutional ideals, if we keep
in mind the life and values of the Father of our Nation,” he said. “Mahatma
Gandhi’s ideals remain relevant in our nation-building efforts. It should be
part of our daily routine to introspect on Gandhiji’s message of truth and
non-violence, which has become all the more necessary in our times.”
The President said the third decade of the 21st century will be the decade of
the rise of New India.
“More and more of those born in this century are participating in the
national discourse. With the passage of time, we are gradually losing living
links with our great freedom struggle, but there is no reason to worry about the
continuity of the beliefs that guided it. With advances in technology, the young
minds of today are better informed and more confident. The next generation
remains strongly committed to the core values of our nation.”
Before wrapping up his speech, the President recalled the words of Babasaheb
Ambedkar: “If we wish to maintain democracy not merely in form but also in fact,
what must we do? The first thing in my judgment we must do is to hold fast to
constitutional methods of achieving our social and economic objectives.” The
President said these words of Dr. Ambedkar would continue to guide the
nation.

Source : The Hindu NewsPaper