Democracy is India’s soul, no anarchist can destroy it: Jitendra Singh in Kishtwar
Union Minister of State (Independent charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, the Department of Atomic Energy and the Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, today led the ‘Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao’ Yatra in Kishtwar, which witnessed huge participation from local residents, party workers and supporters from different parts of the district.
Democracy is the soul of India, said Dr Jitendra Singh, adding that no anarchist can destroy it.
A large number of people joined the march from the Tourist Reception Centre to Dak Bungalow, expressing their support for the campaign.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that the enthusiastic response to the yatra from the hilly district of Kishtwar demonstrated that the spirit of democracy was equally strong in the remote and far-flung regions of the country. He said the strength with which the voice of the people from these mountains was reaching Delhi and every corner of the country sent a clear message to forces attempting to divide the nation, society and communities.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that the spirit of democracy was not confined to Delhi or the states surrounding the national capital but was deeply rooted in every part of India, including its remotest regions. The public participation in Kishtwar, he added, demonstrated that people in the far-flung mountainous areas were equally aware and committed to democratic values and could express their views with the same intensity as citizens elsewhere in the country.
Taking a dig at the opposition, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that those who had failed to secure public support through elections were now attempting to create political instability by taking to the streets and talking about overthrowing elected governments. He said that such an approach reflected a lack of understanding of India’s democratic ethos, where democracy was deeply embedded in the country’s social and political mindset.
The Minister said that democracy in India was not merely a political arrangement but a value deeply rooted in the country’s collective ethos. He observed that every Indian inherited this democratic legacy from birth and that the people would never accept attempts to create anarchy or destabilise an elected government through street protests. Governments, he said, were formed and changed through the democratic process and the mandate of the people, and not through attempts to avoid electoral outcomes.
Dr. Jitendra Singh further said that more the opposition and its leaders made statements questioning democratic institutions and the political mandate, the more public support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared to grow.
Referring to the electoral performance of the Bharatiya Janata Party in recent elections, he said that the opposition’s approach and repeated protests had, in his assessment, strengthened the BJP’s position rather than weakened it. He said that the opposition needed to introspect on its political shortcomings instead of blaming democratic institutions for its electoral setbacks.
Praising the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Minister said that his popularity extended across the country, reaching every region, including remote and geographically challenging areas such as Kishtwar. He said that the Prime Minister had established a direct connection with people through an approach centred on transparent governance, accountability, development and delivery of public welfare schemes. The continued public support for his leadership, he added, reflected the people’s confidence in the direction in which the country was moving.
Explaining the rationale behind the nationwide campaign, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that the ‘Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao’ initiative was being organised across the country to highlight the importance of democratic values, constitutional institutions and respect for the people’s mandate. He said that these yatras are organised in towns and cities across the country to convey the message that they were united by a common thread, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi serving as the central force bringing them together.
The yatra formed part of the wider ‘Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao’ campaign being organised across the country, with party leaders and workers participating in similar programmes in different towns and cities.