Republic Day: President calls for religious plurality

India celebrated its 61st Republic Day with patriotic fervour and unfurling of national flag.

On the eve of the celebrations, the President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, addressed the nation and called its citizens to safeguard the "democratic principles and way of life".

"Democracy involves a pattern of behavior, in which every individual must act responsibly, show respect towards dissimilar opinions and address differences in a constructive and accommodative manner," she said.

"This will build harmony and tolerance - values which are intrinsic to our philosophy; these form the bedrock of a society that embraces the diversity of language, religion and culture to create a composite whole. These values must be followed uninterruptedly in a nation that is, as vast and as varied as ours," she added.

On religious equality, President Patil noted that Secularism which is India's constitutionally chosen path, entails respect for all religions. "Its place in our national life is unalterable. India is a land where followers of different religions have lived together for centuries," she observed.

"We must maintain social cohesion. Our tradition of living in accord with each other must continue to form an integral part of the rhythm of life of our future generations," she urged.

President Patil declared that the voice of India in the future would be "a voice for peace, a voice for development, and a voice of hope."