The
President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the New Delhi World Book
Fair (NDWBF) on February 15, 2014 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
Speaking on the occasion, the President said
India’s pluralism and social, cultural, linguistic and religious diversity is
her greatest strength and a multiple source of inspiration for every Indian. He
said “We must be uncompromising in rejecting intolerance, prejudice and hatred.
Book fairs such as NDWBF should remind us that our history and traditions have
always celebrated the ‘argumentative’ Indian and not the ‘intolerant’ Indian.
Multiple views, thoughts and philosophies have competed with each other
peacefully for centuries in our country and freedom of speech is one of the
most important fundamental rights guaranteed by our Constitution”.
The
President said “an international book fair of this magnitude is one of the best
manifestations of India’s liberal, democratic, multi-lingual, multi-cultural
and secular society where competing ideas and ideologies have equal space.
These values constitute the essence of India. We must do everything possible to
preserve, protect, promote and nurture these ideals”.
Congratulating
the organizers for having chosen Children’s Literature as the theme for this
year’s fair, the President said no human society can develop in all its
dimensions if it does not produce meaningful literature for its children and
young readers. He called upon authors, publishers and Government to do their
utmost to promote children’s literature. He also appealed to parents and
teachers to inculcate in children the habit of reading at a young age. He said
implanting the habit of reading in children will ensure that it becomes a skill
that stands them in good stead throughout their lives.
