No lessons learnt from past mistakes: Prez on communal riots

, Sept 20: Expressing concern over the recent incidents of communal clashes, President

today said that the country has not learnt lessons from the history and same "tragic mistakes" are being repeated.

"Why is it that we do not learn the lessons from our own history but keep repeating the same tragic mistakes?" he said after presenting the national communal harmony awards. Mukherjee said Constitution lays down the fundamental duty of every citizen to promote harmony and spirit of common brotherhood among all the people transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities.

"However, despite this sacred mandate, despite the Directive Principles of State Policy and despite the safeguards that our laws provide, despite all the measures taken by our administrative machinery, why is it that communalism does not seem to go away from our society?," The President said.

He further added, none of country's institutions preaches hatred, no religion preaches discord and on the contrary, they prescribe that it is the moral duty of every individual and of society as a whole, to spread peace and amity. "What can we do to uphold and implement this? How can we be more vigilant against negative forces and successfully thwart their nefarious designs?," he asked.

Mukherjee said that the strength and resilience of Indian society lies in its plurality and diversity and this unique quality has not been imported from anywhere nor has it come into our society by accident-- rather it has been consciously nurtured and nourished by the tolerance and wisdom of the Indian consciousness.

PTI