Pluralism and tolerance have been the hallmark of Indian civilisation, President Pranab Mukherjee said today asking people to remain alert to communal tensions rearing its "ugly head" anywhere.
Delivering the Arjun Singh memorial lecture at the Nehru Memorial museum in honour of the Congress veteran, he also stressed that democracy is not all about numbers but also calls for consensus building.
Mukherjee said in a pluralistic democracy, it was important that the values of tolerance, respect for contrary views and patience are inculcated amongst the citizens particularly the youth.
"Pluralism and tolerance have been the hallmark of our civilisation. This is a core philosophy that must continue undeterred. For, India's strength lies in her diversity.
"Diversity of our country is a fact. This cannot be turned into fiction due to the whims of a rigid few. Plurality of our society has come about through assimilation of ideas over centuries," Mukherjee said.
He said India derives its strength from tolerance. It has been part of its collective consciousness for centuries and it was the only way it will work well for the country.
"There are divergent strands in public discourse. We may argue. We may not agree. But we cannot deny the essential prevalence of multiplicity of opinion. Otherwise, a fundamental character of our thought process will wither away," he said.
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On the vulnerabilities of expat Indians, Mukherjee flagged the concerns of women and girls in India marrying into NRI families.
"Even as the government and its agencies deal with this issue, the concerns of this particular section can be most effectively addressed by the local community organisations," he said.
The president urged the Indian community organisations abroad to continue complementing the government's efforts by working in tandem.
Seeking active support and engagement of NRIs in contributing to India's growth story, he said, "We have a young population which needs to be equipped with the professional and technical education of the highest standard."
Noting that occasions such as PBD provide an opportunity to reaffirm continued engagement with each other, he said, that, at the same time, they also call for reorientation and rejuvenation in our areas of engagement.
Government was implementing certain schemes for the youth who were born and brought up abroad, he said, adding that "The Know India Programme" was a flagship initiative under which such youth can visit India to rediscover their heritage and culture and get acquainted with contemporary India.
Mukherjee also noted that India was having a young population which needs to be equipped with the professional and technical education of the highest standards.
Indian diaspora should consider participation in programmes such as GIAN - Global Initiative of Academic Networks, under which they can visit India for short term academic assignments with institutions of higher learning, including IITs and IIMs.
They can also avail the fellowships and scholarship programmes offered by the Department of Science & Technology and Biotechnology, to explore avenues for joint research and development, he said.
"Through such collaborations, our institutions, entrepreneurs and innovators can enrich our education sector," he said.
Mukherjee also reminded the Indian overseas community of the opportunities for contributing to the motherland and being a part of its exciting growth story, saying they are many and varied.
"Be it 'Make in India', 'Start up India', 'Digital India' or 'Swachh Bharat'; all these programs provide ample opportunities for you to participate, contribute and benefit."
He exhorted the overseas Indians present to become a part of the evolving Indian story, "which is a wonderful story of 1.3 billion people of great diversity with underlying unity living under one system, one constitution and one flag".
