The Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that the recent session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) presented a clear choice between peaceful coexistence and pursuit of conflicts bordering on perversion. He added that it brought out in focus two diametrically opposite visions, statesmanship soaring high in the statement of Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi and its opposite of brinkmanship stooping too low.Addressing a gathering after presenting the 20th Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for Excellence: 2019 to the Plant Scientist, Dr. Manju Sharma, in New Delhi today, Shri Naidu appreciated the way India effectively unveiled its vision for lasting peace and development for humanity at the ongoing 74th UNGA Session, in stark contrast to the mindset that believes in violence, terrorism and warmongering for short-sighted vested interests.The Vice President said that humanity had to choose the model of Statesmanship showcased by India, to march on the path of peaceful development, rather than the brinkmanship-model that has no concern for the larger good of humanity. He complimented the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi for taking a firm and dignified stand against these highly condemnable acts of the neighbour.Shri Naidu said that PM, Shri Modi championed the cause of peace and prosperity for the larger good by giving a crisp-account of the unfolding development narrative of India that was aimed at achieving Sustainable Development Goals, a cause dear to the UN and the comity of nations committed to the welfare and future of humanity across the globe.
Asserting that terrorism was the enemy of mankind and that those who aid and abet terror and violence must be isolated, he said that India continued to firmly adhere to its values of peace, in spite of grave provocation from the neighbour who unabashedly aids and abets terrorism.Pointing out that India, since time immemorial has always embraced the values of peace, tolerance, brotherhood and harmony, the Vice President said that India has handled the recent escalation of tensions with remarkable restraint, grace, and poise.The Vice President said that tallest leaders of the nation like Shastri Ji firmly believed that peace was the first step to prosperity. He said that their belief, which has deep roots Indian philosophy, helped them handle and defuse extraordinarily volatile situations with ease and poise.Paying his tributes to Lal Bahadur Shastri, Shri Naidu said that Shastri Ji was known as a man of great integrity and competence and was highly regarded for his good habits of punctuality, hospitality and practicality. ‘He was humble, tolerant with great inner strength who understood the language of common man. He was renowned for his resoluteness of spirit and firmness of action’, he added.Observing that Shastri Ji was a great communicator and negotiator-par-excellence, the Vice President said that he was entrusted with the most difficult and delicate of negotiations. He added that the values and morals that Shastri Ji taught and lived by would transcend time and generations to come. Referring to Shastri Ji’s address to the nation during the India-Pak war in 1965, the Vice President said that he proposed peaceful coexistence to bring an end to conflicts.
Asserting that a subcontinent at peace would benefit all and that constant strife, hostility, conflict and terror drags us all down, Shri Naidu said that Shastri Ji’s words serve as a guiding light in our efforts to bring peace and prosperity to the sub-continent.The Vice President asked the youngsters to learn about the exemplary life of Lal Bahadur Shastri and draw inspiration from it to serve the nation with zeal and passion.Shri Naidu congratulated Dr. Manju Sharma, a distinguished Plant Scientist for receiving the honour and said that such recognition would inspire many more talented women to pursue scientific research and encourage many to pursue a career in science, technology, innovation and research in India.The Vice President said that during her long and exemplary career in science, Dr. Sharma has left her mark as a talented researcher, dedicated Science promoter and resourceful manager in all the organizations that she has worked with. “She has made invaluable contributions towards nation-building, through her dedication, hard work, vision and commitment to Science and Technology and its application for human welfare”, he added.Shri Naidu applauded Dr. Sharma for establishing a number of new research institutions in the nation during her tenure as Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology and for being instrumental in strengthening and expanding infrastructure in the country for bioinformatics, human resource development and frontline research that accelerated the development of biotechnology in India in a big way.Speaking of the need for government and universities to promote basic research, Shri Naidu said that our nation’s ability to handle today’s pressing issues, from providing energy security to curing illnesses to living sustainably in a world with finite resources, will require innovations that arise from basic scientific research.The Chairman, Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management, Shri Anil Shastri, the Director, Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management, Dr. D.K. Srivastava and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.