President calls for resolving issues through reconciliation

New Delhi, Aug 14 (UNI) President Pratibha Patil today called for adopting the paths of peace and compromise to solve complex and difficult issues and asked the people to demonstrate the ability to listen to and understand one another.

In her address to the nation on the eve of the 62nd Independence Day, the President also stressed the need for eliminating terrorism from the region in cooperation with neighbouring countries and called for working for a strong and democratic India that is economically vibrant and modern yet rooted in harmony, tolerance and mutual respect.

''There is no issue that does not lend itself to dialogue and reconciliation...We should demonstrate our ability to listen to each other, to understand each other and if perceptions do not agree, give to others the freedom to hold their views,'' the President said in her second Independence Day address.

She also stressed the need for tapping new and cleaner sources of energy and called for a national mission to begin exploring ways in which new sources of energy could be harnessed viably.

Admitting that there have been instances in the country of people taking law into their own hands and causing destruction of life and public property, she said whatever the problem, cause and reason, there is no place for violence in society.

Regretting that terrorist groups continued to receive ''support and sanctuary,'' the President said India had been the target of terrorist attacks for several decades.

She stressed the need for standing united against the threats emanating from terrorism and expressed determination that terrorists would never succeed with their ''disruptive agenda'' and would not deter India from becoming strong.

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