Democracy can flourish if there is 'active Parliament': Prez

Amid continuing logjam in both the Houses, President Pranab Mukherjee today said Indian democracy can "flourish" if there is an "active Parliament", MPs with clear vision along with a diligent government and an independent judiciary.

He made these remarks at an event to confer the 24th Saraswati Samman, a literary award, on former Union Minister M Veerappa Moily for his epic poem 'Ramayana Mahanveshanam' here.

"... Our democracy can only flourish if there is an active Parliament, if the representatives of the people have a clear vision, if their efforts are supported and supplemented by a diligent government and an independent judiciary. Additionally, the system depends on a responsible media and a vigilant society," he said.

In his speech, Mukherjee elucidated the importance of epics such as Ramayana and Mahabharata in daily life holding them as a "rare combination" of political philosophy and spiritual discourse.

"He (Moily) has shared his belief that present day India has a lot to learn from the Ramayana - especially that our nation-building effort must be based on the strong foundation of tolerance, pluralism and inclusiveness," he said.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former Chief Justice of India R C Lahoti, Congress' Lok Sabha leader Mallikarjun Kharge and KK Birla Foundation, the group that has constituted the awards, president Shobhana Bhartia were also present on the occasion.

"I am reminded of Gandhiji's dream of 'Ram Rajya', in which he envisioned an ideal society - where justice, equality, idealism, renunciation and sacrifice are practised.

"His Ram Rajya is a nation where peace, prosperity and tranquility prevail. Gandhiji had once said that the Ram Rajya of his dreams meant, and I quote, 'sovereignty of the people based on pure moral authority'," he said.