Aurangabad: Communal enmity and tensions have been the country’s bane since the beginning and its “biggest weakness,” former President Ram Nath Kovind said here on Saturday.
He was speaking at a function at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University.
“There was an atmosphere of communal enmity (in the country) before independence and during the period when the Constitution was being drafted. I sometimes feel that this has been the biggest weakness of our country,” Kovind said.
“Since the country came into existence, communal tensions have not ceased, and even today I think they will not cease,” he added.
While many leaders who tried to foster amiable environment during those initial years said that we are Indians first and Hindu or Muslim later, Ambedkar went much further, Kovind said.
“He used to say, we are Indians first and Indians last. This way, we are always Indians,” the former president said.
The university should work for eradicating social evils, he added.
On this occasion, Kovind also felicitated Padma awardees from Marathwada, including Shabbir Sayyed, Girish Prabhune, Dadasaheb Vidhate, Ramesh Patange and Prabhakar Mande from Marathwada. Agriculture expert Shrirang Lad was also felicitated.
He also felicitated the relatives of late Padma awardees from the region such as journalist Fatima Zakaria and writers Y M Pathan and Gangadhar Pantawane.
India has an ancient culture but it is also the country with the highest population of young people, and it is important to harness the energy of our youth while achieving development, Kovind said.
Availability and quality of education are key to this process, he added.
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