Cherish awards, don't let emotions overrun reason: President Pranab Mukherjee

NEW DELHI: President Pranab Mukherjee has urged literary figures and artistes who have returned awards in protest against growing intolerance to “not let their emotions overrun reason” and that their disagreement be expressed through “debate and discussion.”

Speaking at the National Press Day celebrations organised by the Press Council of India in new Delhi on Monday, the President said prestigious awards were a public recognition of talent and hard work and must be valued.

“Prestigious awards are a public recognition of talent, merit and hard work by peers and leaders in profession. Such awards should be cherished and valued by those who receive them.” “Sensitive minds sometimes are disturbed by some incidents in society, but the expression of concern over such events should be balanced,” Mukherjee said, adding, “as proud Indians, we must have confidence in the idea of India and the values and principles enshrined in our Constitution. Open-mindedness and appreciation of genuine criticism has been the tradition of our nation that should be preserved and strengthened. Disagreement should be expressed through debate and discussion,” he said.

I&B minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Justice Chandramauli Kumar Prasad, PCI chairman were also present on the occasion. To protest against the murder of Kannada writer and rationalist MM Kalburgi and the lynching of a Muslim in Uttar Pradesh over alleged possession of beef, nearly 100 writers, filmmakers and other artistes had returned their state honours in the last two months.