Stop cruelty to children, says India’s President APJ Abdul Kalam

(26 Jan. 2007) : “Cruelty to children is against the fabric of society and cannot be tolerated at any cost”, declared President of India, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, in his address to the nation on the eve of the Republic Day. India celebrated its 58^th Republic Day on Friday 26^th January in the Capital New Delhi and in the various states of the republic. The President further said in his speech, “Some recent incidents of crime against children, have shocked the whole nation and left deep scars in all of us. Children are our national wealth. Concerted action by all concerned in the society, such as watchful neighbours, fast action-oriented police machinery, vigilant media and speedy exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of crime by the judicial system, is the need of the hour.''

President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam also called upon the 440 million youth of India, who fall within the age of 25, to take up politics as a career in large numbers. The President urged the citizens of the country to proactively cast their votes to select candidates with proven performance, with honesty as the focus. Among the other important issues highlighted by the President were: “making education accessible to every citizen, uplifting citizens below the poverty level through a focussed mission and accelerating agriculture reforms. In the same way, there can be a movement in the judiciary for time-bound clearance of pending cases in district courts and high courts within the next three years. Judiciary and bar should ensure that the common citizen gets speedy justice,'' the Indian President said.