5) The quality of legal education in all our universities should be improved on the pattern of law schools.
6) An exemplary penalty should be imposed for seeking undue adjournments and initiating frivolous litigation.
7) Judges of high courts and district courts may follow the suggested model for the Supreme Court and enhance the number of cases decided by them by voluntarily working extra hours on working days and Saturdays.
8) ‘Multi sessions in courts’ should be instituted, with staggered timings, to enhance capacity utilization with additional manpower and an empowered management tructure.
9) A National Litigation Pendency Clearance Mission should be created for a two-year operation for time-bound clearance of pending cases.
Over a period of time, I have found that our judiciary has taken note of these suggestions and has started their implementation in phases. For example, I was happy to hear of the settlement of a long-pending divorce case through videoconferencing; the husband was in India and the wife was in the United States.
India possesses one of the finest armed forces in the world, loyal, courageous and disciplined. The president is the supreme commander of the armed forces. In that capacity, I was always keen to know the environment in which our Servicemen operated, their state of readiness, their problems and challenges. As a part of this mission, I visited a number of units of the army, navy and air force. My interactions with the officers and jawans also led me to visit units stationed in difficult terrains. Hence, I specially chose to go to Kumar post on the Siachen glacier, the world’s highest battleground, where our troops operate in extreme cold. I also visited the submarine operations off the coast of Visakhapatnam, and flew in a Sukhoi-30 MKI at nearly twice the speed of sound. I found these exciting experiences, and would like to share them with you.
I landed at Kumar post on Siachen Glacier on 2 April 2004. The post is located at an altitude of 7,000 metres. It was snowing and the temperature was minus 35 degrees Celsius with heavy winds. When I reached the field station, three soldiers – Naik from Karnataka, Williams from West Bengal and Salim from Uttar Pradesh – shook hands with me. The warmth of their handshakes dispelled the chill of the place. It gave me the confidence that our nation is safe in the hands of the soldiers defending it in this difficult environment. Extraordinary leadership qualities are required to generate such confidence among troops in such difficult conditions.
On 13 February 2006, I experienced a journey underwater in the naval submarine INS Sindhurakshak. The submarine dove to a depth of about 30 metres and started cruising. I visited the control room, where the crew explained the functioning of the submarine, showing me the manoeuvring operations and buoyancy-control mechanisms with great enthusiasm. It was a thrilling experience for me to cruise with the chief of naval staff, Admiral Arun Prakash, and the young sailors and officers. During the review, I was shown the underwater communication, target identification and launch systems. This was followed by the firing of a torpedo to simulate an attack to show the combat capability of our underwater force. The torpedo showed remarkable homing ability. I realized the complexities involved in underwater warfare.
I met the ninety officers and sailors in the vessel. Each was busy in his job. It is not an easy one but they feel proud of their challenging mission. I was given a delicious vegetarian lunch and shown a presentation on the navy’s submarine plans for the next thirty years. After three hours underwater, we surfaced and returned to shore. It was in all ways a memorable journey.
On 8 June 2006, I flew a sortie in a Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft. The previous night, Wing Commander Ajay Rathore gave me lessons on how to fly. He taught me how to pilot the aircraft as well as handle the weapons control system. It was something I had wanted to do since 1958, when I became an engineer. After we were strapped in, the Sukhoi took off and soared to a height of 7,500 metres – 25,000 feet – flying at a speed of over 1,200 kilometres per hour. Wing Commander Rathore suggested a few turns and other manoeuvres. Flying a fighter aircraft can be an intensive experience and I experienced a gravitational force of about three Gs, of course with a G-suit strapped on to protect against a blackout. During the sortie I tried to understand the various systems that were developed by Indian scientists and integrated into this aircraft. I was very happy to see the indigenously built mission computers, radar warning receivers, display processors and other equipment. I was shown how to locate a target in the air and on the ground with the help of synthetic aperture radar. The flight lasted for over thirty-six minutes. I felt it was the fulfilment of a long-cherished dream.
I had opportunities too to interact with members of our paramilitary forces, central and state police personnel and internal security forces. Their dedication and valour left a deep imprint on my mind.
As president I had the opportunity to meet the entire cross-section of our society. I used this interaction to understand people, their aspirations and challenges. Equally important I could also bring people together for a common national mission.
5
WHAT CAN I GIVE TO THE NATION?
Vision elevates the nation
What can I give to the nation? Honour and respect among other countries. Putting a smile on the faces of my one billion countrymen and women. This can only be achieved through economic development and education. Education is paramount for achieving dignity. Inculcating the habit of giving will help us draw our countrymen into the mainstream of development.
The president of India is privileged to address the nation on the eve of Independence Day and Republic Day. He uses the two occasions to apprise the country about the developments that have taken place in the period and the challenges that it faces.
The address is in English followed by Hindi. However, in a departure, in every address I started to give the greetings at the beginning and a summary of the speech in Hindi.
My knowledge of Hindi when I became President was very rudimentary. However, I felt this small bit in Hindi at the outset would at least help convey the flavour of the speech to a larger audience.
There was always a theme to the Republic Day speech. Preparation for the speech normally began well in advance. We would generate a theme, then we would seek information from multiple departments and also try and get the international picture on the subject. We would send a questionnaire to experts. Then we would collate the information. The speech would go into numerous drafts. It was not unusual for there to be ten or more drafts. The R-Day speech in 2004, for instance, had as its theme smiles on a billion faces and went through ten drafts. The focus was on values. On 14 August 2005, the theme was energy independence. The speech went through fifteen drafts. One of the highest number of drafts was, of course, for my speech to the European Parliament on 25 April 2007. This went through thirty-one drafts.
I gave ten national addresses during my tenure. The subjects of these addresses were of immense importance. They included translating vision to mission. There were also subjects like what should we be remembered for; education for dignity of human life; an action plan for employment generation; energy independence; one billion people: one vision; national awakening; and what can I give to my nation. All these topics originated from the common idea of transforming India into a developed nation. This message had spread to citizens and professionals, leading to debates and action in their own domain. For example, as a part of employment generation, when I talked about plantation of Jatropha curcas in the country, a large number of states took this up as a mission and today lakhs of hectares are devoted to the plant. In addition, our experts in jatropha cultivation have enabled countries in Africa to develop plantations there with the help of our farmers, so that they can use the plant for biofuel production. Jatropha can be grown on wasteland too. Once planted it has a life of fifty years and every year it yields fruit whose seed yields an oil which can be mixed with diesel.
In the field of education, thoughts on instituting different types of student evaluations, without the threaten
ing environment of a final examination, emerged. The Central Board of Secondary Education has introduced a grade system instead of the absolute marking system to prevent students from getting overanxious about marks, which has led to healthy competition.
On the issue of energy independence, I had suggested the creation of 55,000 MW of capacity through solar energy power plants to help the nation achieve this goal by 2030. India’s energy scenario needs an integrated look. India is able to meet only 80 per cent of its coal requirements and while power demand is going up by over 5 per cent per annum, coal production increases barely by 1 per cent. In many states around the country, there are power cuts for as many as eight hours a day. Hence the development of alternative power resources becomes mandatory.
Also for maintaining the environment, we have to reduce our dependence on power plants based on coal, oil and gas. The emphasis has to be on generating clean power though the solar, wind, nuclear and hydro route. The government has announced a solar mission with a proposed generating capacity of 20,000 MW by 2020. There are other issues connected to increasing generation by solar power. For instance, extensive research is required for enhancing the present photovoltaic cell efficiency of 15 per cent to at least 50 per cent by the choice of suitable substrates. Also development work is required for using the solar power route during the day and biofuel during the night so that energy is available continuously. In Gujarat, a collaboration with the private sector has resulted in a 600 MW capacity plant for solar power. Three million units are being generated every day and bought by the state government at Rs 15 a unit.
Today, the state governments and central government have a single vision of transforming India into an economically developed nation, which has percolated down to all citizens across the length and breadth of the country.
Through all these examples, one can see that the president is fully empowered to communicate directly with the citizens and make an impact that is beneficial to the nation.
Alongside my addresses to the nation were the speeches I delivered to parliamentarians.
My address on the occasion of conferment of outstanding parliamentarian awards for the years 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 on 21 March 2005 made some important points.
I said: Freedom and democracy have all along been an integral part of India’s culture. In fact, its history can be traced back to the very ancient period when Sabha and Samiti were two highly respected institutions in our village republics which performed functions similar to those of the popular representative bodies of today. Our choice of a democratic political system on achieving Independence was therefore an automatic continuation of the ethos that had always been there in India’s culture.
We have been proud of the unparalleled distinction of India being the world’s largest parliamentary democracy, one that is multi-religious, multi-language and multi-cultural. What amazes the world perhaps is the sagacity and maturity of the Indian voters who have always tried to exercise their mandate conscientiously and have proved that as envisaged in our Constitution, the people are sovereign and power flows from them. The people have a right to live in a developed India. In that context, developmental politics becomes important.
Politics has two dimensions. One is the familiar world of political parties as we know it that was essential during the time of the independence movement. However, what is needed for India today? With 260 million people living below the poverty line and an illiteracy rate of 34 per cent, and more than 36 million employment seekers, our mission has to be to make India a developed nation that is free from poverty, illiteracy and unemployment. This situation necessitates developmental politics.
I would like to visualize a situation in which the political parties perform in an environment of developmental politics in our country, competing with each other in putting forth their political vision through their manifesto. It goes like this – let me narrate some sample scenarios:
1) Suppose Party A says, within fifteen years, we will lead India into becoming a developed nation and also give a development growth plan for every five years and execute it. Party B says, we will lead India to being a developed nation within twelve years through a clear-cut action plan. Party C may unveil a new strategy for national development with different indicators and excel in ideas related to our role in the global arena. It might give a road map to ensure that India becomes a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council within a period of X years.
2) In my scenario two, Party A says, we will create a nation where there is no unemployment. They suggest achieving this through a mechanism of generating more employment providers rather than employment seekers. Party B will say we will provide an environment and mechanism where no cases are pending in the courts and ensure that law and order problems are minimized and people live in a harmonious environment. Party C says that no Indian will go to sleep hungry. It has a vision to make sure that all the nations look up to India to provide the intellectual leadership to make the world a peaceful, stable and beautiful place to live in. World peace will be India’s target.
3) In scenario three, Party A will say, we will ensure that all our border conflicts between neighbouring countries are resolved within a period of ten years. Party B will say, we will resolve all the border conflicts and create a harmonious relationship among the neighbouring countries within a period of five years. Party C might say that because of its initiatives, border trade will become borderless. Commerce brings prosperity and prosperity brings peace.
When the opportunity is given by the people to a particular party to implement its development plans and these become a reality with the support of all the members, the country and the people will be blessed by the noble act of the parliamentarians. Democracy provides an opportunity to everyone to prove to himself or herself how better he or she can perform in realizing the vision of the nation.
The need to wipe out poverty totally, the need to provide opportunities for all our people in a fiercely competitive and knowledge-based world and the need to provide security to the people and nation in the complex world of today, these multiple needs would lead to the necessity of our graduating from the ‘political’ politics that we know to developmental politics.
There are many national issues which have to be pursued by Parliament beyond party ideologies. These include the march towards becoming a developed nation, providing safe water, uninterrupted electricity, health care and shelter to every citizen of the country, the plans for communication and computer penetration, and national security. The consensus arrived at through discussion and debate towards these goals through the parliamentary process will certainly lead India towards the path of reaching developed status quickly. Hence, Parliament has to spend its energy in a healthy competitive spirit to help move the nation ahead.
The parliamentarians’ role, therefore, assumes tremendous significance and it is essential that each MP lives up to the aspirations and ideals for which he or she has been elected.
Yet, as I told parliamentarians, there are some bare truths which we all know but refuse to acknowledge. I have no hesitation in talking to you about them, I said, because I am part of you; I am as much part of Parliament as you all are, and I am as much concerned about the success of our parliamentary system as you all are. Our polling processes have been, of late, under severe strain. Let us be honest to ourselves. The arithmetical compulsions of incremental numbers and the alleged tradability of certain legislative seats, won perhaps through means allegedly dubious and undemocratic, have many a time created doubts in our democratic system in the public mind. When politics degrades itself to political adventurism the nation would be on the calamitous road to inevitable disaster and ruination. Let us not risk it. It is time all of us did some introspection and lived up to the expectations that were enshrined so diligently and optimistically by the founding fathers in our Constitution, so that India sustained itself and grew as a mature, healthy, vibrant, democratic nation.
People are yearni
ng for a lifestyle change by preserving the cultural heritage, values and ethos of the Indian civilization. Parliament can bring the smiles on their faces, by enacting appropriate policies, laws and facilitating societal transformation. We have been working with policies and procedures which are mostly based on mistrust. As a result, motivation and empowerment are dampened and suppressed, whereas the Indian people have shown enormous achievement when provided an environment of trust and working space.
Parliament needs to mount a mission to identify and scrap the complex old laws and administrative procedures which are hindering a growth-oriented economy. This will give scope and a hope to a large section of the people who are honest to flower and flourish. India must move to a trust-based system and only the members of this great Parliament can bring about this change, I urged them.
In order to succeed in our mission, the five key areas where India has a core competence for integrated action are: 1) Agriculture and food processing; 2) Education and health care; 3) Infrastructure: Reliable and quality electric power, good roads, and other infrastructure for all parts of the country; 4) Information and communication technology and; 5) Self-reliance in critical technologies.
These five areas are closely inter-related and if developed in a coordinated way, will lead to food, economic and national security. One of the major missions within these five areas is the development of infrastructure for bringing rural prosperity through Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA) by creating three connectivities, namely physical, electronic, and knowledge, leading to economic connectivity. The number of PURA clusters for the whole country is estimated to be 7,000.
While we are happy that our economy is in an ascending phase and our GDP has been growing at as high as 9 per cent per annum, it is evident that the economic growth is not fully reflected in the quality of life of a large number of people, particularly in rural areas and even in urban areas. Hence, we have evolved what is called a National Prosperity Index (NPI), which is a summation of (a) annual growth rate of GDP; (b) improvement in quality of life of the people, particularly those living below the poverty line; and (c) the adoption of a value system derived from our civilizational heritage in every walk of life which is unique to India. That is NPI=a+b+c. Particularly, ‘b’ is a function of availability of housing, good water, nutrition, proper sanitation, quality education, quality health care and employment potential, and ‘c’ is a function of promoting the joint family system, creation of a spirit of working together, leading a righteous way of life, removing social inequities, and above all promoting a conflict-free, harmonious society. This will be indicated by peace in families and communities, reduction in corruption index, reduction in court cases, elimination of violence against children and women, and the absence of communal tensions. There should be progressive reduction in the number of people living below the poverty line leading to this number becoming near zero by 2020. All our efforts at improving the national economic performance should be guided by the National Prosperity Index of the nation at any point of time.