NEW DELHI: Indian president R. Venkataraman expressed concern over the country’s deteriorating political and economic situation and called for evolving a new polity and beginning a national reconstruction.
He appealed for healthy political debates and restore “friendliness and mutual respect” among political parties.
In his broadcast to the nation on the eve of Republic day he suggested the constitution of a national reconstruction fund to sustain development activities
Expressing concern over communal violence in the country he said government should firmly contain it and society should reject it as “an aberration from our tradition”.
Militancy in Kashmir and Punjab has continued to cause anguish Venkataraman said stressing the need to extend all assistance to the victims immediately.
He said the developing world to which India belonged needed above all else peace as it was engaged in ‘historic talks of rectifying the imbalances created by colonialism’.
On the domestic front he said though the nation had become self-sufficient in food it had no meaning since a third of the rural population lacked the purchasing power.
He emphasized the need for transferring resources to the advantage of rural India which “is an urgent necessity” and this should be aimed particularly at strengthening the underprivileged.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 1, 1991
