The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu addressed a seminar on the ‘Role of key constitutional functionaries of Rajasthan Legislature in Strengthening Democracy' at Jaipur this evening (July 14, 2023). This Seminar was organized by the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly under the auspices of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Rajasthan Branch) to celebrate the birth centenary of Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.
Speaking on the occasion, the President said that Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat has left an indelible mark of his towering personality not only in the politics of Rajasthan but the whole country. As the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, he envisioned and implemented many schemes for the development of the state and for the welfare of people.
As the Vice-President of India, he carried out the high traditions of the Indian Parliament and also enriched them. He played an important role in shaping the destiny of Rajasthan and the country. His ideals are exemplary for all the people's representatives of our country.
The President said that the democratic system in India is continuously getting stronger. Our country has been moving forward in its developmental journey with democratic methods while incorporating the world’s largest diversity. During the 75 years since independence, our country has kept its democratic values strong while facing all the challenges.
She said that the biggest proof of the vibrancy of our democracy is the general elections. In the 17th Lok Sabha elections in 2019, 61.3 crore voters used their franchise, which was a record. She noted that for the first time, the number of women parliamentarians has crossed the 100 mark. She expressed confidence that this number would increase further.
The President said that in our democratic system, representation has been provided to all the people of society, especially the backward and weaker sections and women. The Panchayati Raj system is playing a fundamental role in our democracy. Today, out of more than 31.5 lakh elected representatives in more than 2.75 lakh local rural bodies, 46 percent are women.
The President said that the people of Rajasthan as well as their representatives have played an important role in the success of Indian democracy. She was confident that the people of Rajasthan would strengthen the values of parliamentary democracy and would continue to contribute in the development of the state and the country.