Our country faces formidable and intractable economic problems to which it is impossible to find easy and ready-made answers. A doctrinaire and pedestrian approach to these living and urgent problems of millions of people will not suffice any longer. In these changing times, our approach will have to be equally unconventional and innovative. There must be a desire to experiment with new kinds of solutions.
On the political side also several urgent tasks await us. We have a number of obstacles in the way of nation building. In some ways they are a product of our long history. But the very process of social and economic development has also created new focal points of tension. Communalism is one of the most difficult problems we face. Manifestations of communalism, particularly in the form of violent conflicts resulting in the tragic loss of many innocent lives and property, are a daily reminder of the unfinished task of building the nation on modern secular lines. We have to remember that the concept of the Indian nation is not linked with any religion. Its whole basis is common citizenship, common rights and common obligations. There are no preferred citizens. This citizenship is, in substance, a recognition of the diversity of India. It has been our firm commitment, both during the freedom movement and after attaining independence, that the principle of nationalism in modern times is incompatible with the exclusive claims of a particular religion or a particular culture. A section of our people thought otherwise and equated religion with nation. You are aware of the outcome of the conflict of these two principles, but even the partition of the country did not make our leaders give up their staunch and unswerving loyalty to the fundamental ideal of secularism. This cardinal principle was built into our Constitution in the shape of equality of citizenship and of freedom for all religions. This faith has been put to test many times since independence. There have been provocations from Pakistan, but sadly enough it is a section of our own people who have repeatedly betrayed this faith by their violence against people who do not belong to their religion.
The other equally important aspect relates to our commitment to a free democratic society. Here again there are two dangers. One arises from the increasing tendency to resort to violence for the redressal of grievances, and is totally opposed to the democratic parliamentary institutions. Both these aspects need serious attention in the context of the problems that are likely to arise in the next few years. Any attempt at forcing the pace of growth and at bringing about a radical transformation of the economic structure will inevitably entail hard work and sacrifice. The economic transformation of the society and its modernisation will inevitably create tensions at various points.
