Jai Hind!It is customary to end a message with those two magical words, coined by our immortal leader, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose . I am starting this letter with them today, since we are in the 70th anniversary of our independence. And as I begin this letter to you, I want to hail our great nation, its inspiring past, its challenging present, and its assured majesty in a future of freedom, responsibility and justice. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan , who was to become India’s first Vice President, warned us, in the special midnight session of the Constituent Assembly on the night of August 14/15, 1947 about “…our national faults of character, our domestic despotism, our intolerance, which have assumed different forms of obscurantism, of narrow mindedness, of superstitious bigotry. Our opportunities are great but let me tell you that when power outstrips ability, we will fall on evil days.” ‘Babasaheb’ Dr B R Ambedkar had, with his penetrating vision, seen into our future, envisioned the perils of sectarian divisions.He said, in the same Assembly: “ Will Indians place the country above their creed or will they place creed above country ? I do not know. But this much is certain that if the parties place creed above country, our independence will be put in jeopardy a second time and probably be lost for ever. This eventuality we must all resolutely guard against.” Today, 70 years on, we have the opportunity – and the duty – to look back at these seven decades and ask if power has indeed outstripped ability in our country and if despotism, intolerance and bigotry have grown or have gone away.Two ways of life are now before us. One, that which wants Indians to have freedom of conscience, thought and speech so that the best ideas and energies can be devoted to raising the poor, the marginalised and the discriminated, making India Republic for all its citizens.Second, that which wants India to be dominated by one political ideology, one religious order, one majoritarian grip on all, making India a nation of stark, severe and strict uniformity. A subtle fear pervades our politics today. This converts a majority from an honest weightage of democratic opinion into majoritarianism, the very antithesis of democracy.An opportunity has come in the form of the election of the next Vice President of India, for all Hon’ble Members of Parliament to use their sovereign independent prerogative of voting without any whip or political command, and choose the person who will support the President of India, and the Parliament of India to fulfil their Republican roles and give to the country the kind of independent guidance that great Vice Presidents like Radhakrishnan, Zakir Husain, V V Giri, Justice Hidayatullah, R Venkataraman, K R Narayanan, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and, in our time, M H Ansari have given.Esteemed Member of Parliament, you have been chosen to represent the people, speak for them in Parliament – a great honour and a great responsibility. You are aware that a number of political parties and individuals having proposed my name for election as the country’s Vice-President, I am standing for that high office. I seek your consideration of my suitability for it. While deeply grateful for the support of several parties, I belong to none.If I seek your support, it is not because of connections to any individual or party, but because of my experience over a lifetime and because, if I may most humbly say so, of the record of my public service, which I request you to examine. My resolve will be to serve the people of India without fear or favour, in association with you and other honourable members of Parliament. And my master and guide will be the Constitution of India.We are facing grim challenges in the form of terrorism, the possibility of a war, the ferocious ravages of climate change on an already degraded physical environment.The air we breathe is polluted, the water we drink, contaminated. We cannot allow this situation to continue. We need a leadership that is not about itself, but about the country and its people. Mahatma Gandhi was in Kolkata at the time when, 70 years ago, India won her freedom.On the previous day, 14 August, 1947, he said, “From tomorrow we shall be delivered from the bondage of British rule. But from midnight tonight India will be partitioned. While, therefore, tomorrow will be a day of rejoicing, it will be a day of sorrow as well. It will throw a heavy responsibility upon us. Let us pray to God that He may give us strength to bear it worthily…” And Jawaharlal Nehru, speaking within hours of that, said in his famous speech in the very building in which you work, “Freedom and power bring responsibility.That responsibility rests upon this assembly, a sovereign body representing the sovereign people of India.” I send to you every good wish for the great responsibilities you carry. I am, your fellow citizen,