Indian is `argumentative`, not `intolerant` |
In his address to the nation a day before India celebrates its 68th Republic Day, President Pranab Mukherjee on January 25, 2017, sopke on demonetisation, women security, poverty and politics of inclusiveness. Mukherjee, who previously criticised the government policy to scrap high denomination notes, said that as the country moves towards a cashless economy, it will help in improving transparency. “Demonetization, 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,” said Mukherjee. For a healthy democracy, he said that it is pertinent that everyone conforms to the values of “tolerance, patience and respect for others”. 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, he stressed. On parliamentary disruptions, a topic on which he was quite vocal about in the past, Mukherjee said “collective efforts” must be made to bring the focus back to “debate, discussion and decision-making”. This is significant in view of the budget session beginning six days later. He also urged every Indian to work harder towards ensuring the safety and security of women and children.
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