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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who addrerssed
the nation for the 7th time as Prime Minister
since 2004, urged militants to give up violence,
saying that every citizen has a stake in building
a new India.
He also asked Pakistan not to allow its territory
for exporting terrorism to India.
The mild-mannered Dr Manmohan Singh urged all
Indians to be together, and imbibe modern and
progressive in their outlook.
"Today, India stands among the fastest growing
economies,” and is already an example for
many countries to emulate, he observed adding
that division in the name of religion, state,
caste and language was uncalled for.
While the Prime Minister delivered his address
as usual from the ramparts of the Red Fort in
New Delhi, state and local level functions were
held all over the country. There was strict vigilance
and deployment of security forces.
Except in Srinagar, where a police head constable
suspended earlier for corruption threw a shoe
towards the Chief Minister’s podium, there
was no untoward incident.
Referring to problems within the country, he said
that poverty, education, and sanitation had to
be tackled appropriately. He admitted that India
had poor quality infrastructure and that from
now on, roads, ports and airports, all had to
be of world standards.
Reports say that senior officers have drawn the
attention of the Prime Minister to the extremely
poor quality of roads in New Delhi and elsewhere
which are crumbling in the ongoing rainy season.
India is set to host the Commonwealth Games in
October, barely two months away, and the capital
is still full of mud and construction material
lying everywhere.
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