There should always be room for argumentative Indian: President

25 May, New Delhi

President Pranab Mukherjee Thursday said discussion and dissension in public debate are important in a democracy and there should always be room for the argumentative Indian, not intolerant Indian. He said the spirit of tolerance is what defines people as Indians.

Delivering the Ramnath Goenka lecture in New Delhi, Mukherjee said India’s civilization believes in pluralism, social, cultural and linguistic diversity.

He said this is why 1.3 billion people using 200 languages and seven religions are residing as one identity. He said therefore there is a need to be sensitive to dominant narrative of those who make the loudest noise drowning out those who disagree.

The President said the question that people face, including the media, is whether to define themselves as a nation of vibrant or partisan views. Mukherjee said complex issues are being reduced to binary opposites, resulting in polarization.

Highlighting the role of media in a democracy, the President said democracy without a free press is like a blank piece of paper. He added that fact-checking plays one of the significant roles in media.

He also said the facts must be never sacrificed to elevate opinion into truth when opinions are deeply divided, and objectivity is at a premium.

On paid news, the President said the concentration of media power in hands of a few is dangerous.