Lucknow, June 6 (UNI) President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday said in a democracy there may be differences in the ideology of the ruling and opposition sides, but there should be no animosity.
Addressing the joint session of Uttar Pradesh Legislature here, the President said, "The UP Legislature has a proud history of dignified harmony between the ruling party and the opposition. you all have to make the healthy political tradition of Uttar Pradesh stronger by forgetting the undignified incidents, which took place at times and were contrary to its rich traditions, as an exception."
He said, "There may be differences between the ideology of the ruling side and the opposition, but there should be no animosity."
UP Governor Anandiben Patel, Chairman of the Legislative Council Kunwar Manvendra Singh, Speaker of the Assembly Satish Mahana, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Leader of the Opposition in the lower house, Akhilesh Yadav were present on the occasion.
During his address, the President also highlighted the increasing expectations of the public from their MLAs. "The Legislature is the temple of democracy. People consider you as the creator of their future. The people of the state have a lot of hopes and expectations from you all. Therefore proving true on their expectations is your most important duty," he said.
President Kovind also appealed to the legislators not to discriminate between the people during public service. "All citizens come under the purview of your public service, whether they have voted for you or not. So it is your responsibility to act in the interest of every individual."
He said, "I would also like to say that according to your constitutional oath, apart from your respective constituencies all of you are committed to work not only for the entire state but for the entire country. It is due to the tireless hard work of all of you that UP will soon become an Uttam Pradesh."
The President emphasised on increasing the participation of the women in both the houses of the Legislature. He said UP gave the first woman Prime Minister to the country, first woman CM and the first Governor. "In the current assembly 47 women members have been elected, which is the highest ever. It is only 12 per cent of the total members. Similarly there are only five percent women members of the Legislative Council," he said.

Reminding the history of the UP Legislature towards women empowerment, the President said efforts should be made to increase the representation of women. While referring to the importance of UP, which has given maximum Prime Ministers to the country, he said from the first Prime Minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first woman Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, who became an epitome of politics of principles to Chandrashekhar, all were the gifted by UP.
He also remembered the contribution of Pandit Nehru to Rajiv Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the development journey of the country and the contribution of former CMs Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati in the all round development of the state.
Mentioning the revolutionaries and freedom fighters of UP, the President said there are still many such forgotten and unknown freedom fighters of the state, whose valour and courage are yet to be presented in front of the present and future generations. He said the history of UP is full of such revolutionaries, who should be given proper place in the society by making them part of the curriculum of the educational institutions.
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