New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee on Wed-nesday asked people to dedicate the new year to creation of an inclusive society and maintaining “maximum” vigilance again-st efforts to disturb peace and security in the country.
In his New Year’s eve message, the President asked people to abhor violence and promote tolerance and under-standing among various communities. “I extend warm greetings and best wishes to all fellow citizens for a happy and prosperous New Year. Let 2015 be a year of peace, pro-gress and harmony,” he said.
Asking people to maintain “maximum vigilance against all efforts, from within or without, to disturb peace” Mukherjee said, “let us celebrate plura-lism and promote tolerance and understanding amongst all commu-nities. “Let the New Year be dedicated to the creation of an inclusive society where goodwill and brotherhood prevails amongst our people.”
The statement comes at a time where there have been incidents of conversions by some fringe Hindu groups, blasts in Bangaluru and violence in Assam. In a veiled appre-ciation of the Modi government, he lauded a number of “new begin-nings” and important initia-tives launched in 2014.
“We must take these initiatives to fruition,” the President said, adding, development must reach the poor and the underpri-vileged across the country. He said governance, at all levels, must become effici-ent, transparent, accoun-table and citizen-friendly. In view of continuing incidents of rapes, the President said, “We must also ensure the protection of our women and greater gender sensitivity.”(PTI)
