English हिन्दी
Connect with us

India News

Ram Nath Kovind takes oath as 14th President of India, Modi terms it a ‘significant milestone’

Published

9 years ago

on

Ram Nath Kovind takes oath as 14th President of India, Modi terms it a ‘significant milestone’

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Second Dalit to occupy President’s office since KR Narayanan; talks about an ‘India of Opportunities’ in his maiden address to Parliament

From virtual political anonymity till a few months ago, Ram Nath Kovind was sworn in as the 14th President of India in a traditional ceremony organized inside the Central Hall of Parliament on Tuesday.

Kovind, only the second Dalit since KR Narayanan and the first man from Uttar Pradesh to occupy India’s highest constitutional office, was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Chief Justice of India, JS Khehar, in the presence of outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In his maiden address to a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament, Kovind drew inspiration in large measure from the late Jan Sangh president and RSS icon Deen Dayal Upadhyay’s doctrine of Antyodaya, as he talked at length about “an India that will provide equality of opportunities”.

Kovind, who once was an active albeit low-profile member of the RSS – having led its Dalit-cell – and was the Governor of Bihar until the BJP decided to make him its nominee in the recently concluded Presidential polls, also made a strong pitch for synchronizing the traditional India with aspirations and needs of the India of 21st century.

He talked about his government’s (as he is now not a member of the BJP but Constitutional head of India – and the Union government) efforts towards a Digital India. “The India of the 21st century will be one that is in conformity with our ancient values as well as compliant with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. There is no dichotomy there, no question of choice. We must combine tradition and technology, the wisdom of an age-old Bharat and the science of a contemporary India. As the gram panchayat must determine our consultative and community based problem solving, the Digital Republic must help us leapfrog developmental milestones. These are the twin pillars of our national endeavour,” Kovind said in his inaugural address after being sworn-in.

Breaking from the tradition followed by most newly sworn-in Presidents, Kovind kept references to individual freedom fighters to a minimum. While completely blacking out any reference to India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Kovind made fleeting references to Mahatma Gandhi, stating that “Our Independence was the result of efforts by thousands of patriotic freedom fighters” led by him and hailed Sardar Patel, who “integrated our nation”. He spoke of BR Ambedkar as, predictably, the “principal architect of our Constitution”.

But, at a time when the country is facing a polarizing debate over its citizen’s choice of following a religion, Kovind made at best a tangential mention of India’s secular ethos when he made a brief comment on India’s diversity: “India’s success is its diversity. Our diversity is the core that makes us so unique. In this land we find a mix of states and regions, religions, languages, cultures, lifestyles and much more. We are so different and yet so similar and united,” Kovind said.

Kovind even skipped mentioning KR Narayanan – who like him was a Dalit and the first person from the persecuted community to hold the top constitutional office – even while selectively referring to his predecessors who have held the office that he will now grace for at least the next five years

Drawing inspiration from the Antyodaya doctrine, Kovind asserted that “Nations are not built by governments alone. The government can at best be a facilitator, and a trigger for society’s innate entrepreneurial and creative instincts. Nation building requires national pride”. He then went on to hail individual sections of the country’s citizenry – women, soldiers, farmers, weavers, scientists and even start-up entrepreneurs as “nation builders”.

However, as soon as Ram Nath Kovind’s swearing-in ceremony ended, the Central Hall of Parliament also witnessed loud chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ – something that is unprecedented at a President’s oath-taking ceremony and expectedly caused discomfiture to some members of the Opposition and other guests present at the ceremony.

Through the day, greetings from various sections of the society – the power elite and common citizens alike – poured in for Kovind on various social media platforms.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

India News

Amit Shah counters delimitation concerns, says southern states to gain Lok Sabha seats

Amit Shah assures Parliament that southern states will gain Lok Sabha seats after delimitation, countering opposition criticism during the women’s reservation debate.

Published

8 hours ago

on

April 16, 2026

By

Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday addressed concerns over the proposed delimitation exercise, asserting in the Lok Sabha that southern states will not lose representation but instead see an increase in their number of seats.

His remarks came during a heated debate linked to the implementation of women’s reservation, where opposition parties have raised fears that population-based delimitation could reduce the political weight of southern states.

Shah rejected these claims, calling them misleading, and said the proposed framework ensures fairness while expanding the overall strength of the Lok Sabha.

Seat count to rise with expansion of Lok Sabha

The government has indicated that the total number of Lok Sabha seats could increase significantly as part of the delimitation process. In this expanded House, the combined representation of southern states is expected to rise from 129 seats at present to around 195 seats.

Shah emphasised that no state will lose seats in absolute terms, and the exercise is designed to reflect population changes while maintaining balance across regions.

State-wise projections shared in Parliament

During his address, Shah also provided indicative figures for individual southern states, suggesting notable increases in representation. According to the projections:

  • Tamil Nadu could see its seats rise substantially
  • Kerala, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh are also expected to gain additional seats
  • Karnataka’s representation may increase as well

These figures were presented to counter the argument that delimitation would disproportionately favour northern states.

Political debate intensifies over linkage with women’s quota

The delimitation exercise has been closely linked to the rollout of women’s reservation, which proposes one-third seats for women in Parliament and state assemblies.

Opposition leaders have questioned this linkage, arguing that tying reservation to delimitation could delay its implementation and raise federal concerns. Some leaders have also warned that the move could impact national unity if apprehensions among states are not addressed.

The government, however, maintains that the reforms are necessary to ensure equitable representation and to align the electoral system with demographic realities.

Centre dismisses ‘false narrative’ on southern states

Shah reiterated that concerns about southern states losing influence are unfounded. He said the delimitation process will increase representation across regions and described the criticism as a “false narrative” aimed at creating confusion.

The issue is expected to remain a key flashpoint as Parliament continues discussions on the women’s reservation framework and related legislative changes.

Continue Reading

India News

PM Modi assures no discrimination in women’s quota, delimitation debate intensifies in Parliament

PM Narendra Modi has assured that women’s reservation will be implemented without discrimination, amid a heated debate over delimitation in Parliament.

Published

15 hours ago

on

April 16, 2026

By

PM modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured that there will be no discrimination in the implementation of women’s reservation, as Parliament witnessed a sharp debate over the proposed linkage between the quota and delimitation exercise.

During the ongoing special session, the government reiterated its commitment to ensuring fair representation while addressing concerns raised by opposition parties regarding the timing and structure of the legislation.

The proposed framework aims to reserve 33 percent of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. However, its implementation is tied to a fresh delimitation exercise, which is expected after the next census.

Opposition questions timing and intent

Opposition leaders have raised concerns that linking the women’s quota to delimitation could delay its implementation. They argue that the process of redrawing constituencies may push the actual rollout further into the future.

The issue has triggered a broader political confrontation, with multiple parties questioning whether the move could alter representation across states.

Some critics have also alleged that the delimitation exercise could disproportionately benefit certain regions based on population, a charge the government has rejected.

Government reiterates commitment to fair implementation

Responding to these concerns, the Centre has maintained that the reforms are necessary to ensure accurate and updated representation based on population data.

Leaders from the ruling side have repeatedly emphasized that the process will be carried out transparently and without bias. The assurance that there will be “no discrimination” is aimed at addressing fears among states and opposition parties.

The debate marks a key moment in Parliament, with both sides engaging in intense exchanges over one of the most significant electoral reforms in recent years.

Continue Reading

India News

Give all tickets to Muslim women, Amit Shah says, attacking Akhilesh Yadav on sub-quota demand

A sharp exchange between Amit Shah and Akhilesh Yadav in Parliament over sub-quota for Muslim women highlights key divisions on women’s reservation implementation.

Published

17 hours ago

on

April 16, 2026

By

A heated exchange broke out in Parliament during discussions on the women’s reservation framework, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav locking horns over the demand for a sub-quota for Muslim women.

The debate unfolded as the government pushed forward key legislative measures to implement 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

Akhilesh Yadav argued that the proposed reservation must ensure representation for women from marginalised communities, including Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Muslim women. He said that without such provisions, large sections could remain excluded from political participation.

He also questioned the timing of the bill, alleging that the Centre was avoiding a caste census. According to him, a census would lead to renewed demands for caste-based reservations, which the government is reluctant to address.

Government rejects religion-based quota

Responding to the demand, Amit Shah made it clear that reservation based on religion is not permitted under the Constitution.

He stated that any proposal to provide quota to Muslims on religious grounds would be unconstitutional, firmly rejecting the idea of a separate sub-quota for Muslim women within the broader reservation framework.

The government has maintained that the existing framework already includes provisions for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) women within the overall reservation structure.

Wider political divide over implementation

The issue of sub-categorisation within the women’s quota has emerged as a major flashpoint, even as most opposition parties broadly support the idea of women’s reservation.

Samajwadi Party leaders reiterated that their support for the bill depends on inclusion of OBC and minority women, while the government continues to defend its constitutional position.

The debate is part of a broader discussion during the special Parliament session, where multiple bills linked to delimitation and implementation of the women’s quota are being taken up.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com