The Hindu : National : Caution against ‘balkanisation of the mind’ and graft

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Thursday, Aug 16, 2007
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Caution against ‘balkanisation of the mind’ and graft

Special Correspondent

Leaders seek to redeem “tryst with destiny” pledge

— Photo: PTI / Mohd. Zakir

Celebrating with music: Congress president Sonia Gandhi greets classical singer Pandit Jasraj after a performance at the Parliament House in New Delhi on Wednesday.

NEW DELHI: Sixty years after Jawaharlal Nehru’s “tryst with destiny” speech, the country’s senior-most leadership converged in the very same Hall of Parliament on Wednesday evening to redeem that pledge.

Acknowledging the “long road ahead in our tryst with destiny”, the President, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha were one in cautioning against the “balkanisation of the mind” and the cancer of corruption that has come to plague Indian society.

In an evening that was a mix of music, verse and hard-talk, President Pratibha Patil said: “As we move into the seventh decade of our Independence, let us ensure that the pride in our nation’s democratic traditions does not give way to complacency. Corruption today poses a grave challenge to our system and it is time that the nation begins to determinedly combat this menace.”

Articulating his vision for India, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said: “I would like to see an India of greater equality, an India less argumentative and more cooperative, an India that works hard with a sense of purpose and devotion.” He urged all present to resolve “not to pursue divisive agendas, not to weaken our nation and society by dividing people on narrow caste, communal, linguistic and regional lines.”

Vice-President Hamid Ansari said while doubts about the country’s capabilities had given way to certitude, scrutiny shows that much more needs to be done. He also made out a strong case against the “balkanisation of the mind” which he described as a “distressing trend.”

Earlier the spotlight was on sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and vocalist Pandit Jasraj. While the sarod maestro held sway with the rendition of two of Mahatma’s favourite compositions – Vaishnav Janato Dene Kahiyae a nd Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram – Pandit Jasraj sang a song penned by poet Javed Akhtar.

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