Quoting Dr B R Ambedkar to underline that “political democracy cannot last unless there lies at the base of it social democracy,” President Droupadi Murmu Wednesday called for strengthening of affirmative action “as an instrument of inclusion” and said “tendencies that stoke discord based upon perceived social hierarchies have to be rejected”. In her address to the nation on the eve of the 78th Independence Day, the President said, “Social justice is a top priority of the Government, and it has taken a number of unprecedented initiatives for the welfare of the SCs, STs and other marginalised sections of society.” “Affirmative action must be strengthened as an instrument of inclusion. I firmly believe that in a vast country like ours, tendencies that stoke discord based upon perceived social hierarchies have to be rejected,” she said. Her remarks came five days after BJP’s SC, ST MPs met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Cabinet turned down the Supreme Court’s suggestion for exclusion of the creamy layer from the ambit of SC/ST reservation, saying “there is no provision for a creamy layer in SC/ST reservation” in “the Constitution given by B R Ambedkar”. A day later, the Opposition Congress, in its first public remarks on the court ruling on SC/ST sub-classification, called it “a big setback” for SCs and STs. On August 1, a seven-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, in a landmark 6-1 majority verdict, ruled that SCs do not constitute a socially homogeneous class and can be sub-classified by States for the purpose of providing reservation to the less privileged among them. Four judges favoured excluding the creamy layer from the SC/ST quota. The President, in her 20-minute address, mentioned government schemes like Pradhan Mantri Samajik Utthan evam Rozgar Adharit Jankalyan (PM-SURAJ, that provides direct financial assistance), the PM-JANMAN (for socio-economic welfare of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) and the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE scheme) to stop manual cleaning of sewer or septic tanks. Noting that this year marks the 75th year of the Constitution, Murmu said, “The journey of the newly independent nation was not without obstacles. Remaining firm on the Constitutional ideals of justice, equality, liberty and fraternity, we are on the mission to enable India to reclaim its rightful position on the global stage.” She also mentioned the recent Lok Sabha elections in her speech. “As general elections were held in our country this year, the number of eligible voters stood at nearly 97 crore. This was a historic record, making it the largest electoral exercise humankind has ever witnessed.” “When such a large number of people exercise their franchise, it is a resounding vote for the idea of democracy. India’s successful conduct of elections strengthens democratic forces around the world,” she said. The President recalled the days the country was under foreign rule, and the horrors of the Partition. “Patriotic and brave souls took immense risks and made supreme sacrifices. Thanks to their unceasing labour, the soul of India awoke from centuries of torpor,” she said, mentioning Mahatma Gandhi as India’s “lodestar”, while also making a mention of the contributions of Sardar Patel, Subhas Chandra Bose, Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh. “Among tribals, there were Tilka Manjhi, Birsa Munda, Laxman Naik and Phulo- Jhano, among many more whose sacrifices are now being appreciated,” she said, adding that the country has now started celebrating the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas. On contemporary India, she remarked how between 2021 and 2024, India has been among the fastest growing major economies, with an average growth rate of eight per cent annually. “As for those who continue to suffer from poverty, all efforts are being made not only to provide a helping hand to them, but also to bring them out of it,” she said, recounting the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, which offers free ration to about 80 crore people. “It is a matter of pride for all that India has become the fifth largest economy in the world, and we are also poised to become one of the top three economies soon. This has been made possible only by tireless hard work of farmers and workers, by the farsightedness of planners and wealth-creators, and by the visionary leadership,” she said. The President said farmers have ensured that agricultural production continues to beat expectations. “With this, they have contributed immensely to making India self-reliant in agriculture and feed our people,” she said. Also making a note of the potential of futuristic technology, she said the government has promoted sectors such as semiconductors and Artificial Intelligence, creating an ideal ecosystem for startups which will propel their growth. The term ‘justice’, she said, includes a variety of social factors – gender justice and climate justice. “The government has given equal importance to women’s welfare and women’s empowerment. The Budget allocation for this purpose has more than tripled in the last decade. Their participation in the labour force has increased. The most heartening development on this front has been the significant improvement in the sex ratio at birth,” she said. On climate change, Murmu said India is proud to be at the forefront of humankind’s battle to save the planet from the worst effects of global warming. “Speaking of justice, let me also mention here that in adopting the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita from July this year, we have removed one more relic of the colonial era,” she said, adding that the new code is oriented towards ensuring justice for the victims of crime instead of focusing on punishment alone. In recent years, India has made unprecedented advances in space exploration, the President said, adding that she is “eagerly looking forward to the launch of the Gaganyaan Mission next year, which will take a team of Indian astronauts into space aboard India’s first human spaceflight.” She also noted the priority given to the development of sports infrastructure, and how it is showing results. “The Indian contingent put up its best efforts in the recently concluded Paris Olympic Games… In cricket, India won the T-20 World Cup, to the great joy of a large number of fans. In chess, our prodigies have made the country proud. This is said to be the beginning of an Indian era in chess. In badminton, tennis and other sports, our youngsters are making a mark on the world stage,” she said.
