Speech on National Integration – 4

"Respected Chief Guest, Members of the Faculty and Friends,

I feel honoured to speak here today on the subject that is close to all our hearts. The issue of national integration is central to our very life. Our nation, which is our motherland, is what provides us sustenance. In its absence what would our life be? We belong to India and India’s irrevocable unity and integrity is what means everything to us.

In unity lies strength. We observe this in Nature. We see herds of elephants, for instance, moving about in jungles, protecting their young ones, trumpeting in the event of danger and feeding together.  Likewise, we see gregarious birds, like the mynas, sparrows and babblers that fly about, feed and roost together.

Through unity and togetherness come strength, power and the resistance to destruction. Unity and integrity form the very quintessence of a nation’s existence, prosperity and power.

National integration for India gains significance due to the immense diversity that characterizes it. While we take joy in the fact that diverse faiths, traditions and customs define our population, we are equally proud that we are united as a country with strong nationalistic fervour.

Every Indian is proud of the national spirit shared by the people of the nation. That indeed is the integrating foundation.

The people come together in defending the unity and integrity of the nation. When it comes to safeguarding our territory, the braveheart Indians will go to any extent to put their own lives at peril for the cause. We are ready to face any hardship to protect the country and its heritage. Our nation’s natural wealth and cultural heritage, safety and pride, unity and integrity, are all for us to protect. And we would never be willing to lose any of it at any cost. Isn’t it?

What is it that binds us all in this noble and valorous task? It is our strong, abiding and unifying love of India. At all times it is the nation that comes first. And this shared hope, destiny and passion of the Indian people makes for national integration.

National integration is really an irrevocable unity of the people. It is the people who strengthen the glorious idea of national integration. Indeed, the contrary holds true too. Disintegration stems from separatist tendencies in the people, and that fosters only weakness. A united nation becomes invincible. And that makes for the safety and security of the land and its people.

It is tolerance and harmony that can bind the people together in a spirit of common brotherhood and peace. And peace and harmony always foster progress and prosperity of the nation. National integration forms the basis for a strong, wealthy and powerful country. It creates economic power, promotes social vibrancy and protects cultural diversity.

As Indians we all stand together to uphold the noble and lofty ideas and ideals of our great nation’s forebears and to keep the Indian flag flying high always.

Thank you!