The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has advised political parties to come up with long-term, constructive programmes to propel the country’s economic growth rather than resorting to populist, vote-catching schemes for temporary gains.Speaking at a ‘Meet and Greet’ programme organized by the Vice President’s friends and well wishers at Nellore, Andhra Pradesh today, on the completion of his two years in office, Shri Naidu said that even 72 years after Independence, about 18-20 per cent of people were living below the poverty line and about 20 per cent were not literate.The Vice President wanted the parties to focus on improving the basic amenities to the people, ensuring quality medical and educational facilities, combating gender and social discrimination and bridging the urban-rural divide.Shri Naidu also asked political parties to be patient and tolerant towards the mandate given by the people. Respect rivals and accept constructive programmes with an open mind. Resorting to violence or hitting below-the-belt would be detrimental to democracy, he added.
The Vice President also called for initiating reforms in the Legislature, Executive and the Judiciary to make India’s parliamentary democracy a role model for others to follow. There was a need to provide effective governance, cut down delays in judiciary and ensure that legislatures and the Parliament functioned without obstructions or disruptions. “Ultimately what matters is delivery of services to people”, he observed. Calling for a change of mindset, attitude, behavior and conduct on many aspects at different levels, Shri Naidu urged people to give up cynical thinking and adopt a positive and constructive attitude.Asserting that there was a new-found enthusiasm and interest about India all over the world, the Vice President expressed confidence that India would be able to achieve double-digit growth if people functioned in a constructive manner.Referring to the abrogation of Article 370, the Vice President described it as a simple reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir. Pointing out that Article 370 was a temporary provision in the Constitution, he said that it was a national issue and not a political one.The Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri G. Kishen Reddy, the Minister for Irrigation, Andhra Pradesh, Shri P. Anil Kumar Yadav, the Members of Parliamnet, Shri Prabhakar Reddy and Shri Durga Prasad, MLAs, MLCs and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.