New Delhi, Aug 20 (UNI) Expressing concern over the rising intolerance, communal polarization and growing incidence of violent crimes, including mob lynching, former prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said that continuation of such trends was harmful to the national interest of the country.
Speaking at a function to confer the 24th Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana award to former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Dr Singh said,'a cause for solemn reflection today is some disturbing trend that our country has been witnessing over the past few years. Those unsavory trends of growing intolerance, communal polarization, growing incidence of violent crimes propelled by hatred of certain groups and of mobs taking the law in their own hand can only harm the national interest of our country.
They are an anathema to the promotion of peace, national integration and communal harmony, which are the cherished objectives enshrined in our magnificent Constitution. All of us perhaps need to pause and reflect on how we can go together and contribute to arresting these trends.'
Dr Singh said that the function to confer the award was an occasion to celebrate the contribution by Mr Rajiv Gandhi to promotion of peace, national integration and communal harmony.
'Today’s function is a celebration of Mr Gandhi’s outstanding contribution to promotion of peace, national integration and communal harmony. But it is also a solemn occasion on two counts. First, it is an occasion to pay homage to our beloved former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi Ji whose memory we shall always cherish. The values Rajiv Ji lived and worked throughout his life for promotion were essentially the values that define our India’s nation hood- a broad secular outlook, the spirit of tolerance, commitment to communal harmony and empathy to others.
Our homage to Rajiv ji should not only be a remembrance of his extraordinary personality and contribution to nation building - it should also be marked by a reaffirmation of our commitment to abide by these very values,'Dr Singh said.
.Congratulating Mr Gopal Krishna Gandhi, he said,'Mr Gopal Krishna Gandhi has had a long and distinguished career in public life as a civil servant, as a distinguished diplomat and the important Governor of West Bengal. He is also a man of deep scholarship, which is reflected so clearly in his writings. Over the years, he has been a liberal voice of sanity and reason epitomizing India’s glorious traditions of secularism, tolerance and respect for diversity.'
'We are indeed fortunate to have individuals like Mr Gopal Krishna Gandhi amongst us. He has spoken with great courage and conviction on these trends, holding up a mirror to our people at large.
On a number of occasions, he has even pointed out that the popularly held position need not be blindly accepted but should be probed deeper to find out which is justified in light of national interest.
I am sure he will continue to build on his excellent record of serving our country and our people. I wish him god health and happiness in years to come. I also wish that his voice in support of truth, reason, tolerance, accommodation and understanding of others will continue helping us in future too,' Dr Singh said.
UNI AR SHK2002