Arunachal stands as 'proud guardian' of nation's borders: V-P Radhakrishnan

GUWAHATI: Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Wednesday said Arunachal Pradesh stands as a proud guardian of the nation’s borders and is an integral part of India’s unity.

Addressing a special session of the Arunachal Assembly in Itanagar, Radhakrishnan said the frontier state has immense strategic importance, cultural richness, boundless potential for greenery, and, above all, a great heritage.

“Arunachal Pradesh stands as a proud guardian of our nation’s border and an integral part of India’s unity and integrity. The rest of the country is safe because you are vigilant on our border, and you are protecting the border of Mother Bharat,” he said.

Emphasising India’s unity in diversity, the Vice President said the country is united by one Constitution, one vision of ‘nation first’ and one goal of ‘Viksit Bharat.’ He described India as the ‘Mother of Democracy’ and urged legislators to live up to this legacy.

Radhakrishnan highlighted the growing focus on the development of the Northeast, recalling the establishment of the Ministry of DoNER during the tenure of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the emphasis on the region under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Act East Policy.

He congratulated the government and the people of Arunachal for the state’s development achievements, including its emergence as the country’s leading producer of kiwi, expansion of road infrastructure, issuance of over one lakh Soil Health Cards and significant progress in education and per capita income.

The Vice President stressed that development must be inclusive and no tribal or marginalised community should be left behind. He also emphasised the need to balance environmental concerns with responsible utilisation of natural resources for the economic development and welfare of the people.

Referring to Arunachal’s significant hydropower potential, he said its appropriate utilisation could generate greater revenue and accelerate the state’s development.

Calling upon legislators to place public service above electoral success, the Vice President said elections might be won through votes, but the respect and trust of the people could only be earned through dedicated service. He laid stress on the importance of dialogue, debate and discussion in legislative functioning.