PM's Independence Day Speech, 2011

My dear countrymen,

I heartily greet 120 crore Indians on the 64th anniversary of our independence.

I have been addressing you from the historic Red Fort for the last seven years. In these seven years, our country has achieved much. During this period, we have travelled rapidly on the path of development and have seen success in many areas. However, I am also well aware that a lot remains to be done. We have to banish poverty and illiteracy from our country. We have to provide the common man with access to improved health services. We have to provide employment opportunities to each one of our youth.

The road ahead is long and arduous. Particularly, the prevailing situation both inside and outside the country is such that if we do not act with understanding and restraint, our security and prosperity can get adversely affected. The world economy is slowing down. The developed countries especially America and countries of Western Europe are facing economic problems. There is unrest in many Arab countries of the Middle East. There are some people who want to create disturbances in the country so that our progress gets stalled. All this can have a negative impact on us. But we will not let this happen. I know that if we work together, we can face any challenge. However, it is necessary that we rise above personal or political interests and build consensus on issues of vital national importance.

Brothers and sisters,

We are building the edifice of modern India on the foundation of the hard work and sacrifices of our soldiers, our farmers and our workers. We will not let their hard work and sacrifices go waste. We will convert the dreams of our freedom fighters into reality.

Brothers and sisters,

In the last seven years, our government has strived for political stability and social and economic progress. We have established an environment of communal harmony in the country.

In these seven years, the pace of our economic development has been rapid. We have achieved this success despite the global economic slow-down of 2008 and rising prices of energy and commodities in world markets.

We have strived for reducing inequalities in the country. In the last seven years, we have taken special care of the needs of our brothers and sisters from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, minorities, women and children.

We have enacted laws which would guarantee our people their basic entitlements. After the rights to education, employment and information, we will soon enact a legislation for providing food security to the people.

In the last seven years, our relations with various countries of the world have strengthened and deepened. It is only the result of our hard work that today we have much more self respect and self-confidence in ourselves.

Brothers and sisters,

These successes are not ordinary. Today the world recognizes our potential to be one of the major economic powers globally. But the problem of corruption is a big obstacle in such a transformation.

In the last few months many instances of corruption have come to light. In some cases, functionaries of the Central government face allegations of corruption. In other cases, it is the functionaries of various State governments.

We are taking the strictest possible action in cases of corruption that have surfaced. These cases are sub-judice and hence I will say nothing more on this subject.

It is essential that when we consider these issues, we do not create an atmosphere in which the country's progress comes into question. Any debate on these matters should reflect the confidence that we can overcome these challenges.

Corruption manifests itself in many forms. In some instances, funds meant for schemes for the welfare of the common man end up in the pocket of government officials. In some other instances government discretion is used to favour a selected few. There are also cases where government contracts are wrongfully awarded to the wrong people. We cannot let such activities continue unchecked.

I believe that there is no single big step which we can take to eradicate corruption. In fact, we will have to act simultaneously on many fronts.

We will have to improve our justice delivery system. Everyone should know that quick action will be taken against the corrupt and punishment meted out to them. If our system delivers justice in an effective manner, government officials would think twice before committing a wrong act out of greed or under political pressure.

We want a strong Lokpal to prevent corruption in high places. We have recently introduced a Bill in Parliament to achieve this. Now only Parliament can decide what type of Lokpal legislation should be enacted. I am aware of the differences of opinion on some aspects of the Bill. Those who don't agree with this Bill can put forward their views to Parliament, political parties and even the press. However, I also believe that they should not resort to hunger strikes and fasts unto death.

It is not appropriate to bring the judiciary under the ambit of Lokpal. We believe that any such provision would go against the independence of the judiciary. However, we do need a framework in which the judiciary becomes more accountable. It is with this aim that we have introduced the Judicial Accountability Bill in Parliament. I am confident that this Bill will be passed soon.

An alert press and an aware citizenry can be very helpful in the fight against corruption. The Indian press is known for its independence and activism throughout the world. The Right to Information legislation that we have enacted has enabled our press and people to keep a strict watch on the work of the government.

Today many government decisions, which in the absence of this Act would escape public scrutiny, are coming to light. I believe that this is a big step forward in eradicating corruption.

Brothers and Sisters,

Many times, government discretion is misused in allocation of scarce resources and in the grant of clearances. We have examined this issue. We will put an end to such discretionary powers wherever possible.

Any government awards contracts worth thousands of crores every year. There are frequent complaints of corruption in these decisions. We had constituted a committee to suggest measures to reduce corruption in government purchases. The committee has recommended that, like many other countries, we should also have a public procurement legislation which lays down the principles and practice with regard to government purchases. We will introduce a Bill in Parliament by the end of this year to enact such a law.

In recent years, we have established independent regulatory authorities in many areas. These authorities discharge many responsibilities which were earlier in the domain of the government itself. We have no legislation which would enable monitoring of the work of these regulatory authorities and make them more accountable, without, however, compromising their independence. We are also considering enactment of such a law.

Brothers and sisters,

I have said so much on corruption because I know that this problem is a matter of deep concern for all of us. However, this is a difficulty for which no government has a magic wand. We are taking simultaneous action on many fronts in our fight against corruption. We want all political parties to stand shoulder to shoulder with us in this fight. To eradicate corruption, we have introduced, and will introduce, many Bills in Parliament. I hope that all political parties will cooperate in the process of converting these Bills into statutes. On the issue of corruption, I would like to say in the end that we can win the fight against corruption only when each and every citizen of India cooperates in it.

Brothers and sisters,

I congratulate the country's farmers for their achievements this year. The production of foodgrains has been at a record level. Wheat, maize, pulses and oilseeds have all seen record levels of production. It is because of the hard work of our farmers that today there are proposals for export of foodgrains, sugar and cotton.

We need a second Green Revolution in agriculture. We can tackle the problem of rising food prices only by increasing agricultural production and productivity. We also need to increase agricultural production to implement a food security law. We will accelerate our efforts in this direction in the 12th Plan.

Today, I wish to assure our farmer brothers and sisters, particularly those who are small and marginal, that we will continue to take care of their special needs. It will be our endeavour to ensure that our farmers have easy access to fertilizers, seeds and credit. We also want to provide the best possible irrigation facilities to the farmers so that their dependence on rains is reduced.

Brothers and sisters,

Our country is passing through a phase of sustained high inflation. Controlling rising prices is a primary responsibility of any government. Our government fully understands this responsibility. We have continuously taken steps to rein in prices. Some time we have been confronted with a situation in which the reasons for rising prices lay outside the country. The prices of petroleum products, foodgrains and edible oil have risen steeply in international markets in recent times. Since we import these products in large quantities, any rise in their prices adds to inflationary pressure in our country. Sometimes we have been successful too in controlling inflation. But this success has not proved lasting. A few days back, the people's concern at rising prices was also reflected in a discussion in Parliament. I wish to assure you today that we are continuously monitoring the situation to find out what new steps can be taken to arrest rising prices. Finding a solution to this problem will be our top-most priority in the coming months.

Brothers and sisters,

I am fully aware of the tensions caused in some parts of the country because of acquisition of land for industry, infrastructure and urbanization. Our farmers have been especially affected by such acquisition. Land acquisition is no doubt necessary for projects of public interest. But it should take place in a transparent and fair manner. The interests of those whose livelihoods are dependent on the land being acquired should be fully protected. We will ensure that no injustice is done to anyone in the process of land acquisition. Our government wants to replace the 117 year old land acquisition law by a new Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation law which is forward looking and balanced. We have already prepared a draft legislation and have initiated steps to build consensus on it. We will soon introduce a Bill in Parliament to this end.

Brothers and sisters,

We are satisfied with our achievements in the last seven years in the areas of education and health. Whether it is elementary education, secondary education or higher education we have taken concrete steps for improvements at all levels. This has shown good results. In the last few years, fundamental changes have taken place in the area of education. Today every citizen has a right to elementary education. We are now considering universalization of secondary education. Vocational education and skill development have acquired a new importance. In view of these major changes, it is necessary that we consider all aspects of education in a comprehensive manner. Therefore we have decided to appoint an education commission to make recommendations for improvements at all levels of education.

I have often referred to the 11th Five Year Plan as an education plan. We will lay the same emphasis on health in the 12th plan as we laid on education in the 11th plan. I will propose to the National Development Council that the 12th plan should be specially focused on health. I also promise that funds will not be a constraint in the important areas of education and health.

For a long time our country had no facility for health insurance for workers in the unorganized sector. In 2008, we began the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana for workers in the unorganized sector who are below the poverty line. In the last year we have covered those getting employment under Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Act and also domestic workers, street vendors and beedi workers under this scheme. Today the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana covers about 2 crore 50 lakh workers. Our government will endeavour to cover as many unorganized sector workers as possible under this scheme.

Brothers and sisters,

We are continuously strengthening the physical infrastructure in our country. This is an area which requires very large investments. It is for this reason that in the last seven years we have pursued policies which encourage investment in infrastructure. As a percentage of GDP, investment in this area has grown more than one and a half times in the last seven years. There have been improvements in our capacities in the petroleum sector and power generation, and in our airports, roads, especially rural road, and ports. As an illustration, the capacity in power generation that we are going to add in the 11th plan will be twice that of the 10th plan. In the 12th Plan, we will further accelerate investment in infrastructure. We will pay special attention to the remote areas of our country and to rural areas. Connecting such areas by rail and road will get the top most priority.

Brothers and sisters,

We have taken a major step this year for our poor brothers and sisters living in cities. Recently we have approved the Rajiv Awas Yojana. We want to make India slum free through this scheme. We want the slum dwellers to get ownership of clean houses and have access to basic amenities like water and electricity. We will implement the Rajiv Awas Yojana as a national mission together with the States.

Brothers and sisters,

Malnutrition in our women and children is a matter of concern for all of us. We have taken a number of steps to tackle this problem, including two new schemes. We have also decided that we will start implementing an improved Integrated Child Development Services scheme within the next six months so that the problem of malnutrition in children can be effectively addressed.

The figures of census 2011 show improvements in most areas. But it is a matter of deep regret for us that the sex ratio has shown a decline from the level of the last census. For an improvement in this state of affairs, it is not only necessary to implement the existing laws effectively but it is also essential to change the approach with which our society views girls and women. I would especially appeal to the State governments and social service organizations to take steps for empowerment of women and for improving their status in society.

Brothers and sisters,

Last month's terrorists attacks in Mumbai warn us that there cannot be any slip up in our vigilance as far as the fight against terrorism is concerned. This is a long battle to be fought jointly by the Central Government, the State Governments and the common man. We have been steadily strengthening our intelligence and security agencies and will continue to do so in the future also.

We are also taking all possible steps to overcome the challenge of naxalism. We want to eradicate the very reasons which give rise to this problem. Therefore we have started a new scheme for the accelerated development of 60 backward and tribal dominated districts. An amount of Rs. 3300 crore will be spent on this scheme in a period of two years.

Brothers and sisters,

Preserving our environment even as we develop rapidly is a huge challenge for us. Climate change poses a threat to both our development processes and our natural resources. We have established eight missions on climate change and are working hard to implement these missions. We have set up the National Ganga River Basin Authority for the protection and cleaning of river Ganga. We have also established the National Green Tribunal for quick disposal of cases involving environmental issues. In the coming months, we will constitute an environmental assessment and monitoring authority to streamline the process of environmental clearances.

Brothers and sisters,

Our society and country are changing rapidly because of our fast economic growth. Today our people look towards the future with new hope. They have higher aspirations. Our young men and women strive for path breaking achievements. We should all build an environment in the country in which the energy and enthusiasm of the people are channelised into activities of nation building. Our institutions should encourage constructive utilization of the potential of our people. Our entrepreneurs and businessmen should not feel constrained in their activities. Our industrialists should have the opportunity to set up new industries so that our youth can get additional avenues for productive employment. We should all stay away from politics that create suspicion or apprehension amongst those connected with industry, business and investment.

Brothers and sisters,

It is not an ordinary achievement for our democracy with a population of 120 crore and so many religions, languages and cultures to march rapidly ahead on the path of development. I congratulate the people of India on this achievement. But we must ensure that inequalities do not increase even as we develop rapidly.

We have embarked on a journey to transform our huge and diverse country through rapid development. A development which benefits every citizen of the country. It is natural that tensions would sometimes arise in this process of change. In a democracy, such tensions also become issues of political polarization. We should endeavour that even as political parties oppose and engage in debate against each other, the pace of our progress does not get affected.

We should also have faith that our democracy, our institutions and our social ideals and values have the capacity to deal with any difficulty. We should all have faith in ourselves. The faith that we can build a promising future for ourselves. The faith, that united we can do the most difficult of tasks. Let us all resolve to build a bright future for our country.

Dear Children, join me in saying

Jai Hind

Jai Hind

Jai Hind.

Every terrorist and every terrorist group will be pursued and brought before the law and punished

"We all need to be conscious of the fact that serious challenges and threats -- primarily from left-wing extremism, cross-border terrorism, religious fundamentalism and ethinic violence -- still persist," Singh said in his inaugural address.

He also said he was happy to note that the National Investigative Agency, created in the aftermath of the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, has gained much ground "in unravelling the activities of new terror groups", besides unearthing the fake indian currency networks operating from across borders.

Chidambaram, who was complimented by the PM for better internal security situation, said, "there are a number of modules operating within the country; and new groups have raised their heads that are suspected to be behind some terrorist attacks that took place in recent years".

Stating that one cannot shy away from naming these groups or exposing their designs, the home minister said, "Whatever their religious affiliations, I have no hesitation in condemning every group that resorts to terror as a means of advancing dubious religious causes or fundamentalist goals. Our policy in this regard is clear: every terrorist and every terrorist group will be pursued and brought before the law and punished."

Asked by reporters later as to what he meant by saying "new groups", Chidambaram avoided any elaboration saying, "I have already said in my speech what I had to say".

The PM in his inaugural speech also urged states "to have much greater coordination of responsers and resources between Central and state forces", asking them "to consider increasing the number of joint operations by state police forces" with the assistance of Central forces.

Singh also asked Chidambaram to make Delhi Police a model for other state forces to emulate by taking steps like friendly policing and stressed on the need to have "guidelines" for community policing. 

We are aware that many police commissions have made various recommendations on police reforms. I urge the States to seriously look into this aspect

“We cannot continue to police our society with archaic laws and policing systems. We are aware that many police commissions have made various recommendations on police reforms. I urge the States to seriously look into this aspect,” he said.
“I would like the Ministry of Home Affairs to carry forward this exercise to its logical conclusion in the Union Territory of Delhi during the coming years so that Delhi Police becomes a model for other State police forces to emulate,” Prime Minister said.
“While the central and the State intelligence agencies are at work, we need to recognise a very significant fact that the best, actionable and prompt intelligence on internal security often comes from the police stations.
“But people will come forth to give information to the local policeman, only when they see him as a friend. We need to closely examine the functioning of police stations and bring forth changes to make policemen truly people friendly,” he said while inaugurating Chief Minister’s conference on internal security here.
The Prime Minister said, “We need to take three pronged action on community policing, police reforms and informed use of technology respectively to make this happen.”

He asked the Centre and the states to work together to formulate guidelines for community policing.

“Bridging the gap of mistrust that exists between the police and community will go a long way in collecting actionable intelligence. This also brings me to the idea of involving the academia and professionals, who are experts in the field of data mining and cyber security, in policing,” Dr. Singh added.

Same ruling party in state & Centre for speedy progress: Rahul

"The Centre has never neglected any non-Congress ruled state including Orissa," Gandhi said while responding to a question of a student during an interactive session in Berhampur University.
"Do not worry about elderly persons. The door is open for youths. Let youths join politics in larger numbers," the Congress general secretary said during an interaction with students at Saheed Bhavan in Cuttack.

"Our Prime Minister is an elderly person, but he works like a youth," he said while replying to a question on elderly persons occupying positions in political parties.

Voicing confidence that youth could bring change in politics and also contribute in nation building, Gandhi said the elders were never a hindrance for them.

We cannot afford to allow Taliban to comeback

"We cannot afford to allow Taliban to comeback. No one stand benefited if civil war raises its ugly head...we must succeed," he said. Noting that one cannot stand still if India wants to move ahead in 21st century, he said, "India, Brazil, Germany, Japan, some representatives of Africa and Arab world must be in UN Security Council."

Sarkozy showered praise on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying the Indian leader was obsessed with peace through development and eradication of poverty.

"I have great admiration for Prime Minister Singh. I value his friendship. He is right in believing in peace and stability. India's challenge is that if you succeed through peace, it will have a huge knock-out effect on the world," he said.

India and France are united by common values and believe that international relations should not be governed by brutality or force and it should be based on dialogue and rule of law, Sarkozy said adding the relationship between the two countries should go much further.

Demolition of Babri Masjid was a shameful, criminal act - for which the perpetrators must be brought to justice

“We have made alliances with different parties at the Centre and in states. We do respect our allies. But it does not mean that we stop efforts to grow our organisation or abdicate our political space,” Ms. Gandhi said in her opening address at the day-long AICC session here.


In her inaugural speech, Gandhi said the Congress and the governments led by her party will "forcefully" resist attempts by anyone to abuse religion for political gains.

Talking about the September 30 Allahabad High Court verdict on the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit, she said it in "no way condones" the demolition of the disputed structure on December 6,1992.

The demolition was a "shameful, criminal act" and "all those responsible must be brought to justice," she said.

Taking the attack a notch further, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee piloted an AICC statement that said "recent revelations through detailed investigations have exposed the true character of RSS and its sister organisations. The investigations indicate the involvement of its members in terrorist activities."

Justifying the inclusion of references to the RSS, Mukherjee said, "The RSS organisation is to be exposed. Their links with terrorist activities which have been recently highlighted through the revelations are to be brought in."

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hailed the role of Sonia Gandhi as the "longest serving" party President for the last 12 years and her efforts in bringing the party to power at the Centre for a second continuous term.

He expressed confidence that under her leadership the party would continue to be in power for a long time.

"I speak for all of us when I express my anguish at the loss of young lives in Kashmir. I share their grief. Their loss is a national loss. The whole generation has seen nothing but violence and conflict," she said.

She said the priority should be on development of the state. "There has to be a meaningful political dialogue with all parties and all region," she said.

On terrorism, she said the "threat is for real and we will never relax our vigil against terrorism".

Launching a blistering attack on communal forces, Gandhi said the Allahabad High Court ruling on the Ayodhya title suit "in no way - in no way- condones the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992.This was shameful- a criminal act - for which the perpetrators must be brought to justice".

"We all remember how tense the country was in the days prior to the judgement.It is a tribute to our people that they ensured that peace and harmony prevailed," she said.

"Broader message for us all is that our fight against communalism of all kinds, against fanaticism of all types has to continue unabated.This is a political struggle for a secular India," the Congress President said.

Gandhi utilised the occasion to express concern over rising prices, noting that though inflation has come down to an extent, still it needs to be further brought down.

At the same time, she put the onus on the state governments to maintain the price line.

She noted that the states were responsible for operating PDS as also to take action against black-marketeers, hoarders and speculators.

She wanted partymen in opposition-ruled states to take the lead in pressurising the governments there to take action in this regard.

It is only a few mischief makers who create divisions in our society

'You should be particularly careful with regard to rumours that disruptive elements could propagate to create ill-will between communities,' he said.

'My appeal to all sections of the people is to maintain peace and tranquility and to show respect for all religions and religious beliefs in the highest traditions of Indian culture,' he added.

'I have full faith in the people of India. I also have full confidence in the traditions of secularism, brotherhood and tolerance of our great country,' he said.

'I know that often it is only a few mischief makers who create divisions in our society,' he added.

Unique ID project 'Aadhaar' launched

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gets world statesman award

He said Singh’s economic policies have helped India’s rise within the new G-20 world, and helped produce a doubling of US-India bilateral trade in just a few years.

“And Prime Minister Singh’s advocacy of cooperation in high technology and science led to the recent launch of India’s first unmanned lunar probe, which carried a NASA payload and discovered presence of water molecules on the moon,” Burns said.

The Supreme Court should not get into the realm of policy formulation

“I do recognise that food should be available to the people below poverty line at concessional prices. We have not allowed any increase in the issue price of food grain to people below poverty line since 2004,” he said. Making food available free would destroy the incentive for farmers to produce more. And if there was no food available, there would be nothing to distribute, he added.


“This is just the type of activism which creates problems for everybody. I wish the court had given some thought on how the order can be implemented,” he had said.

Our Government will fully discharge its responsibility to protect each and every citizen of our country

Despite our many strengths, we face some serious challenges. We should resolve today that we will meet these challenges as one people. Our society often gets divided in the name of religion, State, caste or language. We should resolve that we will not allow divisions in our society under any circumstance. Tolerance and generosity have been a part of our traditions. We should strengthen these traditions. As we progress economically our society should also become more sensitive. We should be modern and progressive in our outlook.


Our Government wants a food safety net in which no citizen of ours would go hungry. This requires enhanced agricultural production which is possible only by increasing productivity. Our country has not witnessed any big technological breakthrough in agriculture after the Green Revolution. We need technology which would address the needs of dry land agriculture. In addition, our agriculture should also be able to deal with new challenges like climate change, falling levels of ground water and deteriorating quality of soil. In the history of Indian agriculture, Norman Borlaug commands a special place. About 40 to 50 years back he developed new and more productive seeds of wheat. Under the leadership of Smt. Indira Gandhiji, India achieved the Green Revolution by adopting these seeds. I am happy to announce that the Borlaug Institute of South Asia is being established in India. This institute would facilitate availability of new and improved seeds and new technology to the farmers of India and other countries of South Asia.


In the 63 years after independence, India has covered a long distance on the path of development. But our destination is still far away. A large part of our population still suffers from persistent poverty, hunger and disease. When our Government came to power in 2004, we resolved to build a new India under a progressive social agenda. We wanted the fruits of development to reach the common man. We initiated programmes especially targeted to the welfare of the socially and economically backward sections of our society. We still stand committed to the welfare of the poor, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, minorities, women and other backward sections of our society. But today we do not need many new programmes to achieve our goals. However, we do need to implement the schemes we have already started more effectively, minimizing the chances of corruption and misuse of public money. We want to achieve this in partnership with the State Governments, Panchayat Raj Institutions and civil society groups.


Secularism is one of the pillars of our democracy. It has been the tradition of our country and society to treat all religions with equal respect. For centuries India has welcomed new religions and all have flourished here. Secularism is also our constitutional obligation. Our Government is committed to maintain communal peace and harmony. We also consider it our duty to protect the minorities and provide for their special needs. This is why we have started many new programmes in the last four years for the welfare of our brothers and sisters belonging to the minority communities. These include scholarships for minority students and special programmes for the development of districts which have a high concentration of minorities. These schemes have shown good results. We will vigorously take this work forward.


We have been giving special attention to education and health in the last six years. Improvement in these two areas is an important component of our strategy for inclusive growth. It is also necessary for higher economic growth in the years to come. After independence, these two areas could not get the importance they deserved. We tried to change this state of affairs in the 11th Plan. Today, almost every child in our country has access to primary education. Now, we need to pay more attention to secondary and higher education. We also need to improve the quality of education at all levels. It is our endeavour that every child, irrespective of whether he is rich or poor and which section of the society he belongs to, should be given an education that enables him to realize his potential and makes him a responsible citizen of our country. We will continue to implement the new schemes that we have started in the last six years in the areas of education and health with sincerity and hard work and in partnership with the State Governments. We will soon bring a Bill to Parliament for constitution of two separate councils in higher education and health respectively so that reforms in these two areas can be accelerated.


Nutritious food and good health services are necessary but not enough for ensuring good health of our citizens. We also need cleanliness and good sanitation in our villages, towns and cities. There are many diseases which would be difficult to prevent otherwise. The truth is that our country lags behind in this area. I consider it a primary responsibility of all our citizens to maintain cleanliness and hygiene around them. I would like our children to be taught the importance of cleanliness and hygiene in schools from the very beginning under a campaign for a Clean India. I appeal to the State Governments, Panchayat Raj Institutions, civil society groups and common citizens to make this campaign successful.


There has been much discussion recently on the issue of internal security. If law and order in any part of India deteriorates or peace and harmony gets disturbed, the common man is adversely affected. Therefore, it is one of the primary responsibilities of any government to maintain law and order so that the citizens can live and earn their livelihood in an atmosphere of peace and harmony. Naxalism is a serious challenge to our internal security. I pay tribute to the men and officers of our security forces who have became martyrs in the attacks by naxalites in the last few months. I have stated this before and I say it again - our Government will fully discharge its responsibility to protect each and every citizen of our country. We will deal firmly with those who resort to violence. We will provide all possible help to State Governments to maintain the rule of law in areas affected by naxalism. I once again appeal to naxalites to abjure violence, come for talks with the Government and join hands with us to accelerate social and economic development. A few days back I took a meeting with the Chief Ministers of States affected by naxalism. We will fully implement the consensus that emerged in that meeting. I would like to repeat here a point that I made in that meeting. It is imperative that Centre and States work together to meet the challenge of naxalism. It would be very difficult for any State to tackle this problem without cooperation from the Centre and coordination between States. We all need to rise above our personal and political interests to meet this challenge.


In Jammu and Kashmir, we are ready to talk to every person or group which abjures violence. Kashmir is an integral part of India. Within this framework, we are ready to move forward in any talks which would increase the partnership of the common man in governance and also enhance their welfare. Recently, some young men have lost their lives in violence in Jammu and Kashmir. We deeply regret this. The years of violence should now end. Such violence would not benefit anyone. I believe that India's democracy has the generosity and flexibility to be able to address the concerns of any area or group in the country. I recently participated in a meeting with political parties from Jammu and Kashmir. We will endeavour to take this process forward. I would like to convey to our countrymen, especially our citizens in Jammu and Kashmir and in the North East, that they should adopt democratic means to join hands with us for their and country's welfare.


I would also like to say something which is related to our glorious cultural traditions. The use of harsh and unpleasant words in our political discourse has increased in recent days. This is against our traditions of generosity, humility and tolerance. Criticism has a place of its own in a democracy and in a progressive society. However, criticism should not be undignified. We should have the capacity to reconcile opposite points of view on important issues through debate and discussion. I would request all political parties to consider this issue.


'JAI HIND'

When Manmohan Singh speaks, world listens: Obama

The development of our nation is to a large extent the responsibility of our teachers.

I am especially happy to be amongst the academic fraternity of Jammu and Kashmir. On any such occasion, I recall my early days as a teacher as well as a student. It is my belief that there is no profession nobler than teaching. The development of our nation is to a large extent the responsibility of our teachers. I salute the entire teaching fraternity today. Those engaged in imparting higher education often have to work in adverse conditions, which include insufficient funds, inadequate infrastructure and other difficulties.

Our young women and men are the future of our country and we have high expectations from them. You are in a vibrant India which is ready to take on the challenges of tomorrow. My generation would not have even dreamt of the opportunities and convenience of technology available in the country today. I am of the firm opinion that in the years to come the avenues available for your intellectual, emotional, cultural and professional development will multiply manifold in a new, strong Jammu and Kashmir and India.

As a result of our efforts, Rail services have commenced in the Kashmir valley. Work is on full swing to provide rail connectivity to Banihal pass and the difficult terrain ahead of it. The Mughal road has been opened for single lane traffic now and nearly half of the work is complete for its double laning. As far as power generation is concerned, I am happy that the 450 megawatt Baglihar-I power project has been commissioned. The Centre has decided to link Ladakh with the National grid and the Union Cabinet has given a go ahead to the Rs. 473 crore Ladakh Renewable Energy Initiative. All 14 degree colleges sanctioned under the Prime Minister’s economic reconstruction programme have started working. Six out of nine ITIs for girls have been completed. Thousands of employment opportunities have been generated in the Central Para Military forces, under National Rural Health Mission, in Railways and in many other government departments. But I believe that there is still more to be done.

However, there are a handful of people who do not want any political process for empowering people to succeed. This is the reason that attempts to disturb the lives of the people in the valley still continue from across the line of control. Whenever such incidents happen, they spread terror and cause disruption in the life of people. Our security agencies are forced to act in the wake of such incidents. During the process sometimes innocent civilians have to suffer, but whenever such incidents happen it becomes necessary to act against those responsible for them. I am aware of some complaints related to human rights. On this issue, the Government policy is to protect the human rights of the people even when dealing with terrorism. The security forces in Jammu and Kashmir have been strictly instructed to respect the rights of the civilians. We will act to remove any deficiency in the implementation of these instructions.

 


 

We are ready to talk to representatives of every section who are opposed to terrorism and violence

"We want the talks process to move forward. We are ready to talk to representatives of every section who are opposed to terrorism and violence," Manmohan Singh said while addressing a convocation of an agricultural university here.

Making a fresh offer of talks to those in Jammu and Kashmir who shun violence, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said attempts continued to be made from “across the Line of Control” to cause disturbances in the State.

“Meaningful talks between the two countries, which can lead to a resolution of old issues, are possible only when Pakistan doesn’t let its territory to be used for acts of terror against India,” Dr. Singh said.

Talking in the context of Pakistan, the Prime Minister said, “Today, I would like to say to our neighbours across the Line of Control that they should help in creating an environment in which people from both the sides can live in peace and harmony and work together.”

Referring to his meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani in Thimphu last month, he said “both the countries accepted that there is trust deficit between us” and they agreed that “this distance” must be reduced.

He said Mr. Gilani had assured him that Pakistan will not allow its soil to be used for terrorist activities against India.

 

 

We will ensure that this great, liberal and plural nation of ours is not weakened by hatred and bigotry

"We will ensure that this great, liberal and plural nation of ours is not weakened by hatred and bigotry."

If we have to stay ahead of the curve, as we must, we must be open to new ideas. We must be able to learn from our experiences. We should be able to acknowledge and learn from our setbacks.

If we have to stay ahead of the curve, as we must, we must be open to new ideas. We must be able to learn from our experiences. We should be able to acknowledge and learn from our setbacks.

I would urge all of you assembled here today to think big and to act with a strong sense of self-belief, nationalistic spirit and the desire to excel.

The Right to Education Act enacted last year is a historic step forward in making every Indian a literate and empowered citizen.

The Right to Education Act enacted last year is a historic step forward in making every Indian a literate and empowered citizen.

To strengthen political inclusion, we have introduced bills to provide 50% reservation for women in all panchayats and urban local bodies.

Manmohan Singh is a marvel for the entire world: Obama

"Work, work, work "

We should be conscious that to reach our youth we will have to use media such as the internet. I am often told that much of the material on India, including on our historical figures such as Vivekananda, come from Western sources. If so, we should make strenuous efforts to develop our own information sites in a useful and attractive manner. We should also be willing to subsidise high quality publications on Swami Vivekananda to make them affordable for our youth. Swami Vivekananda was one of India's early cultural ambassadors who was able to propagate Indian philosophy, thought and culture to the outside world. He drew upon our ancient texts to communicate with brilliance and eloquence the message of India which lays emphasis on tolerance, plurality and openness.

Equality before law cannot become a living reality if ordinary citizens do not have access to justice at affordable cost.

“Equality before law cannot become a living reality if ordinary citizens do not have access to justice at affordable cost.” Recalling the saying “Justice delayed is justice denied,” Dr. Singh emphasised that “the plight of the large number of undertrial prisoners in our jails should move the machinery of justice to speedy corrective measures as part of the process of reforming and improving the quality of governance.”

Union Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily said it was planned to have one e-court in every High Court and an e-court in one district court in every State within a year.

Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan extolled the judiciary for playing a part in bringing in landmark legislation such as the Right to Information Act and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act.