27.1.14

The Prez speaks....

President Pranab Mukherjee’s comments on the eve of Republic Day on the significance of the 2014 elections saw him pitching for a stable government not held to ransom by “capricious” regional parties. He added that voters have a responsibility to discharge and should not let the nation down. “2014 is a precipice moment in our history. We must re-discover that sense of national purpose and patriotism which lifts the nation above and across the abyss, and back on to the road of prosperity. Give the young jobs and they will raise the villages and cities to 21st century standards. Give them a chance and you will marvel at the India they can create,” he said.
Mukherjee warned that all this would not be possible if India did not get a stable government. “This year, we will witness the 16th general election to our Lok Sabha. A fractured government, hostage to whimsical opportunists, is always an unhappy eventuality. In 2014, it could be catastrophic. Each one of us is a voter; each one of us has a deep responsibility; we cannot let India down. It is time for introspection and action.” He continued, “Some cynics may scoff at our commitment to democracy, but our democracy has never been betrayed by the people. Its fault-lines, where they exist are the handiwork of those who have made power a gateway to greed. We do feel angry, and rightly so, when we see democratic institutions being weakened by complacency and incompetence. If we hear sometimes an anthem of despair from the street, it is because people feel that a sacred trust is being violated.”
Mukherjee said while political parties needed to be realistic about what they promise to people, they had to deliver development expeditiously. “This rage will abate only when governments deliver what they were elected to deliver — social and economic progress, not at a snail’s pace, but with the speed of a racehorse,” he said, adding, “The aspirational young Indian will not forgive a betrayal of her future. Those in office must eliminate the trust deficit between them and the people. Those in politics should understand that every election comes with a warning sign—perform, or perish.” He further said, “ I am not a cynic because I know that democracy has this marvellous ability to self-correct. It is the physician that heals itself, and 2014 must become a year of healing after the fractured and contentious politics of the last few years.”

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