Former President of India Pranabh mukharjee addressed the closing ceremony of the ‘Tritiya Varsha Sangh Shiksha Varg’, a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) event to mark the conclusion of a three-year training camp for swayamsevaks in Nagpur.
His decision to address thousands of RSS volunteers is regretted by congress, seeing it as an advantage being given to its opponent, BJP, at a very crucial time as far as country is considered.
He reminds about the diversity of the country and how Inclusion and secularism remained as a matter of faith in India. He also opined that India remained special in the world by its pluralism and co-existence. He explained the concepts of Nation, Nationality and Patriotism in the context of India.
“. We derive our strength from tolerance. We accept and respect our pluralism. We celebrate our diversity. These have been a part of our collective consciousness for centuries. Any attempt at defining our nationhood in terms of dogmas and identities of religion, region, hatred and intolerance will only lead to dilution of our national identity. Any differences that may appear are only on the surface but we remain a distinct cultural unit with a common history, a common literature and a common civilization “
He also mentioned the contributions of the Indian National Congress, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Mahatma Gandhi to the concept of the modern Indian state and quoted Jawaharlal Nehru.
