Kolkata: President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday highlighted India’s rich diversity, saying the country must move forward as a whole and not by caste or community.
His assertion comes in the backdrop of recent incidents of violence against Muslims in the country. Addressing a function here, Mr Mukherjee said India is diverse with 130 crore people who follow seven different religions, speak 200 different languages with 1,800 different dialects. Three major ethnic groups live under one flag, one Constitution and one administrative process.
“This is the ethos of India. Yes, we must have change. We must have improvement. We must move forward. (But) Not in isolation, not in groups, not in individual, not in caste or community but for the entire land mass of India,” the President said. “We are not indulging in the flow of blood, rolling of heads to achieve our objective,” he said. Mr Mukherjee referred to the end of colonial rule during which, he said, people did not part with hatred but with smiles.”
Mr Mukherjee also referred to the major reforms brought by the Narendra Modi-led government, including the presentation of budget in February 1 instead of February 28, among others. He appreciated the Goods and Services Tax (GST), slated to be rolled out from July 1.
