* Zero tolerance towards violence against women
NEW DELHI, June 9: Without naming Pakistan, President Pranab Mukherjee today categorically told the country that stability and prosperity will continue to elude the region if terrorist activities against the neighbours continued.
His address to the joint sitting of both the Houses of Parliament gave clear indication that the Government would be tough when national interests were at stake.
The President said a relationship of cooperation was not possible unless a neighbour showed sensitivity to the security concern of another.
He said India was all for working together with South Asian countries but at the same time it will “never shy away from raising issues of concern to us at bilateral level”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also raised the issue of sponsored terrorism, especially the 26/11 attack, during his meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif who had come here to attend Mr Modi’s oath-taking ceremony recently.
The Narendra Modi Government has flagged the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley with “dignity, security and assured livelihood,” an issue on which it will lay special emphasis during its tenure.
Perhaps finding a mention in President’s address to the Parliament for the first time, it was welcomed by Kashmiri Pandit organisations which have been fighting for the lakhs of people from the community who fled the Valley in 1990 due to ethnic cleansing during militancy.
“Special efforts will be made to ensure that Kashmiri Pandits return to the land of their ancestors with full dignity, security and assured livelihood,” the President said while outlining the agenda of Modi Government for the next five years.
The BJP had mentioned return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants to the Valley in its manifesto.
Amid public outrage over gangrape and murder of two girls in Uttar Pradesh, the Modi Government today vowed “zero tolerance” policy towards violence against women and reform of criminal justice system simpler, quicker and more effective delivery of justice.
It also promised to launch a mass campaign for saving the girl child and enabling her education under the ‘Beti Bachao – Beti Padhao’ (save daughter, educate daughter) besides a resolve to provide them 33 percent reservation to women in Parliament and State Assemblies.
“In the recent past, the country has witnessed some gruesome incidents of violence against women. The Government will have a policy of zero tolerance for violence against women and will strengthen the criminal justice system for its effective implementation,” Mukherjee said.
He did not go into the specifics but was clearly referring to the incident of Badaun in UP where two young girls were gangraped and then killed recently. There have been a number of other incidents of crime against women.
Mukherjee said his Government recognises the important role women play in the development of society and growth of the nation.
The BJP-led NDA Government also chose the occasion to affirm its support to women reservation bill, which lapsed following dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha.
While the bill seeking to provide 33 percent reservation to women in Parliament and State Assemblies was passed in the Rajya Sabha in March 2010 amid unusual pandemonium and after the use of marshals to evict the protesting MPs, it could not see the light of the day in Lok Sabha.
Mukherjee said the Government is committed to providing 33 per cent reservation to them in Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies.
The Modi Government also unveiled its priorities saying it would take steps to tackle communal violence, eliminate corruption, rein in inflation and encourage investment including through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
The road map formed part of the address of President, which also promised “predictable, transparent and fair” policy environment and non-adversarial tax regime conducive to investment to put the economy back on growth path.
“The Government will maintain utmost vigil in the area of internal security. A policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism, extremism, riots and crime will be pursued….
“A national plan will be chalked out in consultation with the State Governments to effectively curb incidents of communal violence and the challenges posed by left wing extremism,” he said.
In a word of assurance to minorities, the address said the new Government is committed to making all minorities equal partners in India’s progress.
Noting that this is the first election in 30 years to give a clear verdict in favour of a single party, the President said he applauded the wisdom of the people for having voted for stability, honesty and development in a resurgent India in which corruption will have no place.
On the economic front, he noted that the country was passing through an extremely difficult phase as for two consecutive years the GDP growth rate had been less than 5 per cent.
Acknowledging that inflation has been at an unacceptable level, the President said putting the Indian economy back on track is paramount for the Government.
“We will work together to usher our economy into a high growth path, rein inflation, reignite the investment cycle, accelerate job creation and restore the confidence of the domestic as well as international community in our economy,” he said.
Mukherjee said the Government will create a policy environment which is predictable, transparent and fair.
“It will embark on rationalisation and simplification of the tax regime to make it non-adversarial and conducive to investment, enterprise and growth. My Government will make every effort to introduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST) while addressing the concerns of States.”
He said reforms will be undertaken to enhance the ease of doing business.
“My Government will follow a policy of encouraging investments, including through FDI, which will be allowed in sectors that help create jobs and assets,” he added.
The address promised strategic promotion of labour-intensive manufacturing for rapid creation of jobs in the manufacturing sector. Employment opportunities will also be expanded by promoting tourism and agro-based industries.
Asserting the new government’s commitment to providing a clean and efficient administration focused on delivery, the President said the institution of Lok Pal is important to curb corruption for which the Government will formulate rules in under the Act.
On black money, the new Government expressed its determination to deal with the menace saying it will engage with foreign countries to bring back the ill-gotten money stashed abroad.
“My Government is determined to rid the country of the scourge of corruption and the menace of black money. As a first step in this direction, the government has already constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to unearth black money stashed abroad,” the address said.
The Government also promised zero-tolerance towards communal violence for which a national policy will be framed in consultation with States to curb the menace.
“A policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism, extremism, riots and crime will be pursued… A national plan will be chalked out in consultation with the State Governments to effectively curb incidents of communal violence and the challenges posed by left wing extremism,” he said.
BJP had earlier opposed the UPA Government’s move to enact a stringent Communal Violence Bill, terming it as “the most obnoxious piece of legislation in independent India”.
The party had maintained that the proposed legislation would hurt the federal structure of the country as it provides for direct central intervention in case of riots.
The President said States will be assisted for modernisation of police infrastructure and equipment to tackle new forms of terrorism, including narco-terrorism and cyber threats.
He said the Government will take steps to equip the security forces with the latest technology and to improve their working conditions.
Seeking to heal the fractured and contentious politics of the previous years, Mukherjee said the new Government at the Centre will work for development in a resurgent India in which corruption will have no place.
“They (people of India) have voted for a united, strong and modern India -”Ek Bhjarat-Shreshta Bharat”-. My Government will work to fulfil these aspirations, with the involvement of all the 125 crore people of this great country,” he said.
In a word of assurance to minorities, the address said the new Government is committed to making all minorities equal partners in India’s progress.
The address is the political, economic and foreign policy road map of the Narendra Modi Government voted to power and covers virtually all the crucial areas including the need to address the difficult economic situation in which inflation has to be reined in and growth to be reignited.
Mukherjee noted that the just-concluded election has been an election of hope.
“The surge in aspirations and the belief that these could be realised through democratic processes, has been amply reflected in the record 66.4 per cent participation by voters and a clear verdict in favour4 of a single political party after a gap of nearly 30 years.
“The electorate transcended the boundaries of caste, creed, region and religion to come together and vote decisively in favour of ‘Development through Good Governance’,” he said.
Newly-elected Lok Sabha members and those belonging to the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Modi, his cabinet colleagues, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and other opposition leaders heard the 50-minute speech with rapt attention interspersed by occasional thumping of desks.(PTI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel