Book of Integration Council New - Ministry of Home Affairs

VERBATIM PROCEEDINGS
Shri Shivraj Patil, Union Home Minister
Respected Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singhji, Respected Chairperson UPA
Smt. Sonia Gandhiji,‘ Hon’ble Ministers, Hon’ble Governor of Jammu & Kashmir,
Hon’ble Chief Ministers, Hon’ble Leaders of Political Parties, Hon’ble Leaders in different
walks of life, officers and friends,
I have great pleasure and feel privileged to welcome all the Hon’ble members of
National Integration Council to this meeting. I would like to thank the Hon’ble Members
for making it convenient to attend this deliberation. The agenda circulated, indicates the
topics which may be considered by us. The time available for us is going to be limited
for there are many members who would like to speak. Hence, we have to be brief and
precise in our statements. A few documents giving facts and figures and schemes
made, are circulated to the Hon’ble members. They may be used by them. However,
we are interested in hearing their own views and suggestions.
The unity is sine qua non for our existence and all round development. It
needs to be protected, preserved and strengthened, which would be done with
determination and without failing to understand that the innocent persons and groups
and sections of the society are not maligned and branded wrongly. How to achieve
these objectives? Through the Governmental actions – YES; through Governmental
actions this can be done. Through the efforts and understanding of the people –
YES; the efforts and understanding of the people can help us a lot in this respect.
Through the efforts and understanding of the individuals – YES; through the
cooperation and coordination between them, answer to this question is also YES.
We would like to have Governments acting promptly and effectively. How tough
they should be, how correct and just they should be, how cooperative with one
another and with the people as a whole and individually they should be, we should
decide and act upon those decisions. How careful we should be in expressing our
views in favour or against some actions of the society is also of great importance.
If we keep saying and doing things continuously, which is not conducive for the
communal harmony, we should understand the consequences and results of the same.
Should we or should we not understand that there are a few in the society, who are given
to create problems for us all. How to deal with them is our problem. On these and
other issues, we would like to hear the views of the Hon’ble Members. The Hon’ble
Members are wise, experienced and balanced in their attitude, having knowledge as to
how to govern, as to how to deal with the people, and as to how to deal with the
problems. Their views would help the government make and modify their policies.
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