President Murmu’s speech will inspire some people to imbibe the essence of her address to the nation

In her address to the nation on the eve of the 74th Republic Day, President Droupadi Murmu began with her emphasis on “the spirit of India'' which, she said, has remained undeterred despite long foreign rule. We have succeeded as a democratic republic because so many creeds and so many languages have not divided us, they have only united us, she said, adding that that is the essence of India. This was in tune with the famous lines of the national song Saare jahaan se achha…, where Iqbal said, “Kuchh baat hai ki hasti mitati nahin hamaari… We fought against the British Empire, but this fight didn’t embitter against the British or Western civilisation; so, when the Constitution was prepared in the late 1940s, the founding fathers and mothers (for there were also 15 women in the Constituent Assembly) of the Republic went through, in the President’s words, “a long and profound thought process” which culminated in our Constitution. Revolutionaries and reformers, visionaries and idealists helped us learn about our age-old values of peace, brotherhood and equality, she said. Those who shaped the modern Indian mind also welcomed progressive ideas from abroad. This was in consonance with the Vedic prescription, “Let noble thoughts come to us from all directions.” This is how the ancient civilisation and modern republic made a tryst with destiny.

President Murmu underlined the progress made on the economic front: India becoming the fifth largest economy in the world against the backdrop of high economic uncertainties around the world; its ability to rise after the devastating effects of Covid-19, with most sectors shaking off the pandemic effect; the Government’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. Economic development has accompanied concern for “those on the margins.” Being the first President of a tribal origin, she knows this very well. She showered fulsome praise on the generations of people for their invaluable contribution in the development story of our Republic so far. Her speech should be appreciated and its messages imbibed in our lives, be it about national unity, economic development, inclusiveness, concern for the environment, or healthy lifestyles. But, unfortunately, such speeches are received with insouciance. From the man on the street to the high and mighty, most people don’t pay attention. One reason is that there is a great deal of cynicism in our politics and public life. Politicians and public intellectuals say nice things about the nation, economy, society, etc., to achieve their own goals; and once their personal targets are achieved, they become part of the very system they had criticised in the not-so-distant past. Idealism becomes a vehicle to reach their destination; once they reach where they wanted to, they usually abandon the vehicle. Hopefully, President Murmu’s speech will inspire some people, particularly those who matter, to imbibe its spirit.