“The power to stay your hand is far greater than the power to strike with your hand and ‘hinsa’ has no place in society... Like his (Gandhi’s) other teachings, it was rooted in the ancient wisdom of India and yet has resonance in the 21st century and our daily lives,” the President said in his address on the eve of Independence Day.
Kovind noted that freedom is a broader concept that did not end with the political independence gained in 1947. “It is not fixed or finite. Freedom is a constant and relentless endeavour. Even decades after 1947, each one of us can contribute... if we expand the frontiers of freedom and opportunity for our fellow Indians,” he said.
He spoke on the special role of women in society, saying the expansion of freedom is linked to their emancipation. “This is true whether we see them as mothers, sisters, daughters or simply as women who are entitled to a life of their choosing — and deserving of the opportunity and security to fulfil their potential,” he said. The president said India is at a juncture very different from any period it has experienced.
“We are on the cusp of achieving many long-awaited goals. Universal access to electricity, elimination of open defecation, homelessness and extreme poverty is achievable and attainable,” he said. He said India stands at a pivotal moment in its destiny and people should not let contentious and extraneous debates distract them.
He referred to the government’s “gram swaraj abhiyan” that is taking banking, power, cooking gas and other welfare programmes to the poor and said these areas have a significant overlap with weaker sections like SCs and STs.
from Times of India https://ift.tt/2KTjMZj
