President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday said that the concept of equality, enshrined in the Indian Constitution, was not derived from western countries but developed in our own country.
Kovind was addressing a gathering of devotees, after unveiling the 216-ft, 120-kg golden idol of 11th century saint Sri Ramanujacharya, installed on the first floor of Bhadravedi, at Chinna Jeeyar ashram in Muchintal, Telangana.
“Philosophers like Ramanujacharya have built the concept of a nation based on cultural values. This emotional unity of Indians is centuries old,” the President said.
During the function, Kovind recalled that architect of the Constitution Dr B R Ambedkar had clearly stated that the fundamental ideals of the Constitution were based on the cultural heritage of India.
“He also mentioned with great respect, the egalitarian ideals of Ramanujacharya. Equality is the corner stone of our democracy. Equality before law, prohibition of all forms of discrimination, equality of opportunity, abolition of untouchability - all these fundamental rights have been enshrined in our Constitution, as propounded by Ramanujacharya,” he said.
Telangana chief minister (CM) K Chandrasekhar Rao, who had skipped receiving Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 5 at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Shamshabad, accorded a warm welcome to the President on Sunday.
He, however, stayed away from Kovind’s programme at the Jeeyar ashram. The President was accompanied by Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, state minister for animal husbandry Talasani Srinivasa Yadav and industrialist J Rameshwar Rao during his visit to the ashram.
{{/usCountry}}He, however, stayed away from Kovind’s programme at the Jeeyar ashram. The President was accompanied by Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, state minister for animal husbandry Talasani Srinivasa Yadav and industrialist J Rameshwar Rao during his visit to the ashram.
{{/usCountry}}“At a time when India is celebrating Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav, on the occasion of 75th year of Independence, people should re-discover the values that inspired our freedom struggle.Then, they will realise how the founding fathers of our Republic connected us to our heritage as expressed in the life and work of Ramanujacharya,” he said. He hoped that Muchintal would soon turn into a spiritual centre of the country.