Respect rights, sensitivities of minorities: President

President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday emphasised the need for respecting the rights and sensitivities of minorities and eliminating forces which divided the society.

He pointed out that efforts should be made to create an environment in which every community felt that it was a part of the national narrative. “We must encourage a broad human outlook in all our citizens and educate them to rise above caste or communal loyalties. We must learn to respect the rights and sensitivities of minorities, both in letter and spirit,” he said.

He was delivering the Indira Gandhi Memorial Lecture (2013) on National Integration of the Asiatic Society. The President urged Indian citizens to rise above caste or communal loyalties and develop a secular and tolerant outlook and ensuring inclusivity of every community in the national narrative.

“We must encourage a broad human outlook in all our citizens and educate them to rise above caste or communal loyalties,” he added. The President pointed out that every Indian must be aware of India’s “long history and the great civilisations.”

Mr Mukherjee said it was important that every Indian learnt about the contribution of the people who came here from different parts of the world “to the splendid mosaic that Indian culture.” For this purpose, chapters on different religions and lives and teachings of great saints who were born on this soil must be made compulsory reading in schools. “Most important of all, the basic unity that keeps us together amidst the immense diversity of our peoples, ethnicities, languages and cultures should be ingrained in every individual citizen, especially the youth,” he added.

He described national integration as “essential for the idea of India to grow” and highlighted the role of the academic community to promote national integration.