President says democracy gives opportunity to common people to fulfil their aspirations

Janjivan Bureau
New Delhi: President Mukherjee teaches political history to class XI and XII students. President Pranab Mukherjee remember the Anna agitation and said that if the MP or MLA not do their duty then the public will theach them the lesson. Defining the beautification of democracy President told to the student democracy gives opportunity to common people to fulfil their aspirations. He gave the credit of success in life to his mother.
“I wondered at the marvel of democracy from a village boy to the centre of national politics” said Pranab.The establishment of multi-party democratic system with Parliamentary form of govt was an important event said President
Remembring the student life, while interacting with students “I was not a bright student, I was an average student” said President Pranab Mukherjee.
“Multi-party democracy was an important development. Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Indonesia so many countries got freedom around the same time but how many parliamentary democracies?” President
President Mukherjee talks about the drafting of the Jan Lokpal bill with Team Anna. During 2010-11 Anna Lokpal agitation I was cabinet representative of govt.Prashant Bhushan, Shanti Bhushan, Santosh Hegdre and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal were the parts of Anna team.
President goes on to speak on economic liberalisation process spearheaded by Dr Manmohan Singh and Narsimha Rao.If I spend Re 1 on development, 93 paise comes from my own savings.President elaborates on the genesis of five year plan.
We launched the rural employment guarantee scheme. Earlier people didn’t have purchasing power. 5 million people died in the great Bengal famine said President.
My best teacher was my mother.My mother made me narrate my day chronologically which developed my memory, tells President.
Quoting Browning’s poem ‘The Patrio’, Mukherjee says “Thus I came, thus I go.” ‘I am telling you history like I have seen it. I’m not a great scholar, an average reader but as I have seen things unfolding before my eyes” said Mukherjee.
Today people take road, electricity for granted.Remembering his childhood “As a young boy when I had to negotiate 10kms, I wanted a road, so I could ask my mother for a bicycle. Development for me was a road” says President Pranab Mukherjee.
“I was very naughty. I’m sure none of you are so naughty, jokes” said President.
He said used to tie towel around my waist and another on my head to protect my books and belongings during rains.
“I was a very average student. I had to work very hard as ours was a very backward area.” said Mukherjee to the students.