are to-day receiving greater attention than before, thanks
to the efforts of citizens and NGO's. But I am afraid, by and
large, we remain reckless consumers than preservers of
these life-sources. It is time that we took conservation and
other environmental questions not as fashionable posi-
tions but as matters of life and death. No development will
be sustainable or justifiable that ignores Nature and the
human being.

On the 26th of November this year it will be 50 years since
we adopted, enacted and gave to ourselves the Constitu-
tion of India. The Constitution is the sheet anchor of our
polity. It is my earnest hope that it would continue to be
tespected by all, and be an instrument of social change
and transformation of the status of the underprivileged as
envisaged by Babasaheb Ambedkar.

Science and technology, which occupy the centre stage in
our progress is paying heed to the human dimensions of
development. Thanks to the efforts put in during the first
two or three decades India can today boast of a stabilized
green revolution, a diversified industrial infrastructure, and
a Science and Technology-base for our further develop-
ment. While Jawaharlal Nehru’s vision of “science solving
the problem of hunger and poverty” in our country has not
yet been fulfilled, we have been able to break the back of
the demon of hunger by resort to science in our agricul-
ture. Our progress in the development of satellites, atomic
energy, information technology and bio-technology are
not merely climbing the high peaks of Science and Tech-
nology, but are applying the techniques to grass-root prob-
lems and to the human needs of the country. It is hearten-
ing that our scientists are now wide awake to the impor-
tance of patenting our diverse genetic riches before they
are taken away by the advanced nations. India is bound to
emerge as a major scientific-technological power in the
new millennium.

Rolling back or putting a cap on the advancement of
science is contrary to the very spirit and nature of science,
and against the equitable world order that we are pledged
to bring into being.

Friends, in a few weeks from now the people of India will
be exercising their franchise to elect the 13th Lok Sabha
and some of the State Assemblies. Our record of orderly
elections, which form the basis of our democratic polity, is
now acknowledged by the world. Indian voters have exer-
cised their franchise and chosen their representatives with
practical common sense; they have reposed confidence
with generosity; withdrawn it without ambiguity; created,
preserved and demolished mandates. No one dares take
the Indian voter for granted. It is gratifying for us that today
the world significance of Indian democracy has begun to
dawn upon the developed democracies of the world. But
still we must not forget that often in global power-politics
the blood of strategic affinity is thicker than the life-giving
waters of democracy.

I would like to avail this opportunity to urge all contestants
and campaigners in the coming polls to maintain our
democracy’s track record, to abjure appeals of a narrow
sectarian nature and show a broad tolerance of opinions of
others. I trust that the ugly phenomenon of voter-intimida-
tion and booth-capturing which has marred voting in some

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pockets in the past, will not be tolerated anywhere on this
occasion. The firmness shown in this regard by our Elec-
tion Commission has been widely appreciated.

Our Election Commission, our Judiciary and other Consti-
tutional authorities like the Office of the Comptroller and
Auditor General of India, are institutions of which we are
proud for their impartiality, objectivity and sense of re-
sponsibility.

Likewise we derive great satisfaction from the functioning
of the National Commissions that have been set up for the
welfare of our minorities, women, scheduled castes and
scheduled tribes and other vulnerable sections of our so-
ciety.

Fellow citizens and friends, on this last Independence Day
of the century we have every reason to look forward to the
new millennium with hope and self-assurance. Despite all
the obstacles set in our path we are well served by the
strength of our democratic institutions and we draw suste-
nance from our rich heritage from the past and from the
reawakened spirit of our people. In this spirit we send our
greetings to our neighbours in South Asia - to Bangladesh,
Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Pakistan with
whom we are engaged in the adventure of building up
SAARC as a prosperous and viable regional entity. We
also send our greetings to the friendly countries of ASEAN
with whom we are closely associated, to Japan and to the
countries of West Asia and Central Asia with whom we
have traditional ties of friendship. | am delighted that our
relations with the People’s Republic of China have im-
proved. On the 50th anniversary of the founding of the
People’s Republic of China and of the establishment of
diplomatic relations between the two countries, | would
like to send our warm greetings to the people and govern-
ment of China. It is a matter of satisfaction to us that our
relations with the countries of the sister continent of Africa,
the Commonwealth of Nations, the European Union and
the United States of America are marked by warmth and
understanding. Our close relations with our time-tested
friend, Russia, continue to develop and diversify in several
fields as well as in multilateral fora; this is most gratifying.

From the inception of our independence India has been
striving for a one-world that is free from the scourge of war
and free of weapons of mass destruction. In the new
century that is at our doorstep we pledge ourselves to
persist with this effort. Towards this we would like to see
the full potential and scope of the United Nations Organi-
zation realized through wider representation and restruc-
turing. We will continue to attach the greatest importance
to the Non-Aligned Movement in the formation of which
we take pride and which has played an important role in
ending the nightmare of the Cold War and which we be-
lieve is of relevance in providing stability and balance to
the pluralistic world order that is emerging.

Friends, on this Independence Day let us resolve to imbue
our lives with the spirit of that midnight hour when we
made our tryst with destiny. May the tricolor continue to
inspire us and fulfil our destiny as a people and as a
nation.

Jai Hind

INDIA NEWS © August 15,1999 7