Pranab Mukherjee speaking at a function in Mahatma Gandhiji’s Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad regarding ‘intolerance’ in India said, "The real dirt of India lies not on the streets but in our minds."
"Our unwillingness to let go of views that divide society into them and us,” said the president.
Praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi on initiating Swachch Bharat for clean India which was the aim of Mahatma Gandhi said, "this also must be seen as just the beginning of a much larger and intense effort to cleanse minds and fulfil Gandhiji's vision in all its aspects."
"Every day, we see unprecedented violence all around us. At the heart of this violence is darkness, fear and mistrust. While we invent new modes of combating this ever spiraling violence, we must not forget the power of non-violence, dialogue and reason," Pranab added.
He also told, "We must free our public discourse of all forms of violence, physical as well as verbal. Only a non-violent society can ensure the participation of all sections of the people, especially the marginalised and the dispossessed in our democratic process.”
Mr Mukherjee further added, “Only those who are confident of their conviction, secure in their faith and rooted in their culture can hope to live in an open house, an open society. If we close ourselves in, seek to be immune from other influences, it shows that we are prepared to live in a house that is devoid of fresh breeze."
The President also said the "capacity for compassion and empathy is the true foundation of our civilization."
