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Pay heed to crying socio-economic issues, President tells nation
President K R Narayanan on Friday urged the nation, especially the private sector, to pay heed to the crying socio-economic issues facing the deprived sections and said that attention paid to ameliorate their conditions would be a democratic answer to the evil phenomenon of terrorism that India and the world had to tackle. Text of President` address to nation
President K R Narayanan on Friday urged the nation, especially the private sector, to pay heed to the crying socio-economic issues facing the deprived sections and said that attention paid to ameliorate their conditions would be a democratic answer to the evil phenomenon of terrorism that India and the world had to tackle.
``If our democracy is to remain great and relevant to the problems of the masses, we will have to pay heed to these crying economic issues (of discrimination faced by women, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes). And that will be our democratic answer to the evil phenomenon of terrorism that we in India and the world in general are facing today,`` Narayanan said in his address to the nation on eve of the Republic Day.
Strongly backing the extension of reservation of jobs for weaker sections in the private sector, he emphasised the need for private enterprises to adopt social policies to uplift the deprived classes from their state of deprivation.
Making it clear that he was not making any demand to the private sector to shift their economic ideology when he pleaded for better representation to the deprived sections, Narayanan said, ``This is not to ask the private enterprise accept socialism, but to do something like what the diversity bill and affirmative action that the United States has adopted and is implementing.”
He also referred to the recent Bhopal Declaration adopted by Dalit and tribal intellectuals charting out a new course for these deprived sections during the 21st century. The declaration, he said, called for providing representation for the deprived classes in private corporations and enterprises, which benefit from the government funds and facilities.
Paying homage to the Delhi Police and the Central Reserve Police Force personnel, who died fighting terrorists inside the Parliament House complex on December 13, Narayanan said that their timely action at the cost of their lives thwarted the terrorists` attempt to destroy the temple of country`s democracy and symbol of sovereignty.
``It is the extra-ordinary courage and heroism of the ordinary security personnel that saved the seat of democracy against the dastardly terrorist attack,`` he observed.
The President recalled that the assault on Parliament took place on the day when Jawaharlal Nehru in 1946 had moved the objectives resolution in the Constituent Assembly declaring India`s resolve to become an independent sovereign republic.
Narayanan also greeted the valiant members of the armed forces and the para-military organisations who stood vigilant in the remote and inhospitable borders ever ready to make the supreme sacrifice for defending the independence, unity and integrity of the motherland.
Describing as a partial measure the recent bill adopted by Parliament to provide compulsory education for all children aged between 6 and 14 years, Narayanan favoured the extension of the facility to 18 years.
The President said that though there was a real decline in illiteracy in absolute numbers and reduction in the gap between male and female literacy, the country still had the largest number of illiterates in the world.
Expressing concern over growing incidence of rape, domestic violence, sexual harassment at work places and trafficking of women, Narayanan said that no place was safe for them, not even their ``mother`s womb``. The dowry system was not only responsible for snuffing out lives of women but also leads to the growing incidence of female foeticide, he added.
Making it clear that he was not making any demand to the private sector to shift their economic ideology when he pleaded for better representation to the deprived sections, Narayanan said, ``This is not to ask the private enterprise accept socialism, but to do something like what the diversity bill and affirmative action that the United States has adopted and is implementing.”
He also referred to the recent Bhopal Declaration adopted by Dalit and tribal intellectuals charting out a new course for these deprived sections during the 21st century. The declaration, he said, called for providing representation for the deprived classes in private corporations and enterprises, which benefit from the government funds and facilities.
Paying homage to the Delhi Police and the Central Reserve Police Force personnel, who died fighting terrorists inside the Parliament House complex on December 13, Narayanan said that their timely action at the cost of their lives thwarted the terrorists` attempt to destroy the temple of country`s democracy and symbol of sovereignty.
``It is the extra-ordinary courage and heroism of the ordinary security personnel that saved the seat of democracy against the dastardly terrorist attack,`` he observed.
The President recalled that the assault on Parliament took place on the day when Jawaharlal Nehru in 1946 had moved the objectives resolution in the Constituent Assembly declaring India`s resolve to become an independent sovereign republic.
Narayanan also greeted the valiant members of the armed forces and the para-military organisations who stood vigilant in the remote and inhospitable borders ever ready to make the supreme sacrifice for defending the independence, unity and integrity of the motherland.
Describing as a partial measure the recent bill adopted by Parliament to provide compulsory education for all children aged between 6 and 14 years, Narayanan favoured the extension of the facility to 18 years.
The President said that though there was a real decline in illiteracy in absolute numbers and reduction in the gap between male and female literacy, the country still had the largest number of illiterates in the world.
Expressing concern over growing incidence of rape, domestic violence, sexual harassment at work places and trafficking of women, Narayanan said that no place was safe for them, not even their ``mother`s womb``. The dowry system was not only responsible for snuffing out lives of women but also leads to the growing incidence of female foeticide, he added.
Bureau Report