Every citizen has a responsibility to preserve and strengthen democracy and be constantly on the guard against divisive forces raising their heads in the country, said President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday while delivering the 5th Dr. Ambedkar Memorial Lecture here.
Speaking on ‘Vision of India in 21st Century, as envisaged by Dr. Ambedkar’, the President said the country needs to fight the challenges of malnutrition, ignorance, unemployment and infrastructure, untouchability or any form of disability based on caste, creed, religion or sex.
He said Dr. Ambedkar dreamt of an India in which all sections of society are empowered – socially, economically and politically; an India in which every section of our population believes that they have an equal stake in the country and its future and an India in which social status will be decided not by standing in caste hierarchy or economic wealth but by individual merit.
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Dr. Ambedkar’s vision was of an India where the social system and economy would permit the full development of human potential and ensure a dignified existence for all our citizens, he said and added the former’s message, work and life are a constant reminder of the outstanding Constitution, strong democracy and effective, independent institutions we have inherited from the founding fathers of our nation. “At the same time, it also reminds us of the distance we still need to travel in building an egalitarian society where there will be no distinction between man and man,” he said.
The President concluded by recalling Dr. Ambedkar’s words from his address to the Constituent Assembly on November 25, 1949: “In addition to our old enemies in the form of castes and creeds, we are going to have many political parties with diverse and opposing political creeds. Will Indians place the country above their creed or will they place creed above country? I do not know. But this much is certain that if the parties place creed above country, our independence will be put in jeopardy a second time and probably be lost forever. This eventuality we must all resolutely guard against. We must be determined to defend our independence with the last drop of our blood.”
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