Parties must rise above petty politics: President Ram Nath Kovind

New Delhi, July 23

On the eve of demitting office, President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday urged political parties to rise above partisan approaches for the larger good of the common man.

Speaking at a farewell event organised in the Central Hall of Parliament and attended by Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and MPs, President Kovind said “nation first” should be the guiding principle for parties and the right to protest should be exercised in a peaceful, Gandhian mould.

Citing Article 79 of the Constitution which provides for a Parliament consisting of the President and two Houses, President Kovind said, “President is an integral part of the parliamentary family. As with any family, there are bound to be differences here also. There would be diverging views about how to proceed but we are still a family and the interest of the nation remains our top priority. Political processes operate through the mechanism of party organisations, but the parties must rise above a partisan approach and consider what is good, what is essential for the common man and woman, with the spirit of nation first.”

He said when we see a nation as a family, we understand that differences could be resolved peacefully through dialogue.

“Citizens and political parties have many constitutional avenues open to them, including protests,” President Kovind said. His term ends on Sunday and the 15th President-elect Droupadi Murmu will be sworn in on July 25.

Need to imbibe ‘nation first’ spirit

‘Nation first’ should be the guiding principle for parties and the right to protest should be exercised in a peaceful, Gandhian mould. — Ram Nath Kovind, outgoing President