The Book of Life

pages of wisdom from within society itself. Nurturing this constructive process is a deeply quiet task. It demands sustained effort, yet often receives little recognition. It is like being buried in the foundation so that the dome of the nation may stand tall. It is precisely the demanding nature of this work that makes people hesitant to commit themselves to it. CORRECT ADVICE I n his speech on the 46th Independence Day, the then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao made an important point. Many newspapers highlighted this in their headlines. Hindustan Times (August 16, 1992) reported his speech with the headline: PM for three-year moratorium on contentious issues. The Prime Minister said that there are many differences among us, and it is natural for such differences to exist. But what is more important is that, even after almost half a century of independence, we are still surrounded by serious problems. To address these issues, a clear and focused approach is needed. At the very least, for the next three years, we should set aside our disputes and devote all our energy to putting the country on the path of progress. This is the only principle of development and success in the world. In today’s world, it is inevitable that one person and another—or one group and another—will have