President: Maintain statute sanctity

At a time when Raj Bhavans are courting controversies, President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday said all those who hold constitutional positions should maintain sanctity of the Constitution.

“Our nation has grown from strength to strength since independence. It is primarily due to our steadfast adherence to the principles enshrined in our Constitution. It is an enduring document that reflects our aspirations and the avenues to achieve them, in an inclusive manner. “It is incumbent on us all who hold constitutional positions to maintain the sanctity of this sacred text,” Mr Mukherjee said inaugurating a two-day conference of governors at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The President’s message to the governors comes in the backdrop of a raging controversy over the role of governor J.P. Rajkhowa in Arunachal Pradesh that led to political turmoil culminating in the imposition of Central rule. The issue is also being fought in the Supreme Court.

Tracking developments in 2015, the President said the year saw terror attacks with “clear external linkages” and urged the nation to continue efforts to resolve all outstanding international issues through peaceful dialogue and negotiations.

“We faced challenges from the global economic slowdown, climatic changes, and internal and external security. States having international borders were affected by terrorist attacks that had clear external linkages.

“Volatile external security environment makes it incumbent on us to upgrade our defence capabilities. At the same time, we have to continue our efforts at resolving all outstanding international issues through peaceful dialogue and negotiations,” the President said.

Dignitaries participating in the inaugural session of the conference included vice-president Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Rajnath Singh, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Niti Aayog vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya.

The President highlighted that the pollution levels in the cities have reached “distressing” levels breaching the people’s right to lead a healthy, happy and productive life. He said climate change has moved centrestage in policy formulation and its ill-effects are visible in the abnormal behaviour of nature in recent times. “This right appears to have been breached by the distressing pollution levels in our cities. Mitigation of the dangers to environment calls for holistic changes whose permanence can only be ensured if people become active participants. Governors can play a catalysing role in such efforts,” he said.