Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today called upon people to rededicate themselves to building a society that is devoid of hatred and discrimination based on caste and religion, region and language.
Addressing a gathering after unfurling the national flag at the party headquarters to mark the State Formation Day, Dr. JP said that if India has remained as one and united despite mind boggling diversities, the credit goes to the architects of the Indian Constitution. India's accomplishment is all the more creditable against the backdrop of countries like Sri Lanka, Belgium and Canada witnessing prolonged periods of unrest and violence and some countries like Pakistan, Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union falling apart because of differences rooted in language and culture.
Dr. JP said that the linguistic reorganization of States on November 1, 1956 laid the foundation for a modern federal set-up in the country. When a controversy over making Hindi the sole official language of the country threatened to pit one region of the country against the other, the visionary leaders of modern India quelled unrest by opting for the three language formula, with equal importance to Hindi, English and the regional language.
There are constitutional processes if Telugu-speaking people choose to divide themselves into two or three separate States, Dr. JP said and added that in the process the atmosphere should not be vitiated by whipping up hatred between people.
Party Working President D. V. V. S. Varma unfurled the party flag. Party leaders Mrs. N. Sarojadevi, Bhisetty Babji, and K. Gangadhara Rao shared the dais with Dr. JP.
