india

Updated: Jan 25, 2019 22:52 IST

President Ram Nath Kovind called upon all voters to cast their votes in the upcoming Lok Sabha poll, which, according to him, is only a milestone in the journey towards fulfilling people’s aspirations and building a developed India, even as he made a pitch for pluralism and gender equality.

In his address to the nation on the eve of India’s 70th Republic Day, Kovind also reminded people that the country is at “the doorstep of eliminating extreme poverty for the first time in memory”, a subtle reference to the NDA government’s massive schemes for the poor. He also referred to the government’s universal healthcare scheme Ayushman Bharat and said, “A programme of universal and equitable healthcare has begun to be rolled out. Affordable medicines and medical devices and implants are becoming a reality for more and more sections of our people. A greater number of Indians than ever previously have access to proper housing, with modern sanitation and electricity.”

The 17th Lok Sabha election is due in less than two months even as different parties are already in poll mode. The Narendra Modi government will be facing a resurgent Congress and a host of regional satraps in different states. The government’s development schemes are a key part of the ruling BJP’s campaign while the Opposition parties have accused the Modi government of being a failure in many fronts. This year’s general election will also see voters born in the 21st century participating in the formation of the next Lok Sabha for the first time.

While the President stated that “who the voter chooses to vote for is up to him or her, I would only request all eligible voters to go out and vote” he added that the country is at a key juncture, implying that who they voted for did matter. “In some respects this is as critical and formative a period as the late 1940s and early 1950s. Decisions and actions of today will shape the India of the remainder of the 21st century. As such, this is not just a once-in-a-generation moment – it is a once-in-a-century moment,” Kovind said in his address to the nation.

He spoke about the surge in connectivity – from upgraded railways, highways, rural roads to new metro rails, cost-effective air services and data access – and leapfrogging technologies and said, “In my travels across the country and my engagements with all sections of our society, I have sensed appreciation for such efforts and such hard-won advance.”

Kovind maintained that the best indicator of social change is change towards gender equity