Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi, Jan 25: President Pranab Mukherjee Sunday said political discourse that ‘‘cuts and wounds’’ people’s hearts was “abhorrent” to India’s traditional ethos.
In his customary address to the nation on the eve of Republic Day, Mukherjee said: “The freedom inherent in democracy sometimes generates an unhappy by-product when political discourse becomes a competition in hysteria that is abhorrent to our traditional ethos.”
“The violence of the tongue cuts and wounds people’s hearts,” he added.
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, he said: “Religion is a force for unity; we cannot make it a cause of conflict.’’
Mukherjee once again objected to government enacting laws without discussion, saying that it impacts the law-making role of the parliament and breaches the trust reposed in it by the people.
“This is neither good for the democracy nor for the policies relating to those laws.’’
Recently the President had raised strong objections to a string of ordinances – executive orders – passed by the union cabinet, including the one on the Land Acquisition Act.
Acknowledging that the Constitution provided for promulgation of ordinance in extraordinary situation, Mukherjee had said this route cannot and should not be taken for normal legislation.
In his address, the President also stressed on the importance of the parliamentary process in making laws saying there can be no governance without a functioning legislature.
“The legislature reflects the will of the people. It is the platform where progressive legislation using civilized dialogue must create delivery mechanisms for realizing the aspirations of the people,” he said.
