New Delhi: India needs leaders who can help meet ever-increasing rising expectations of people and “quixotic heroism” cannot lead this nation, former president Pranab Mukherjee said on Monday.
“Quixotic heroism cannot lead this nation. India needs leaders who can help them meet the nation’s ever rising expectations. The country still has a long way to go before it is completely rid of poverty,” Mukherjee said while addressing corporates at AIMA Managing India Awards.
He also expressed concern over the estimate that 1 per cent of Indians hold over 60 per cent of the country’s total wealth and called on corporates to help bring people out of poverty. “While such a figure is a definite burden on our national conscience, it also indicates that our growth needs to be more inclusive and equitable.
The ones who are left behind drag others in the developmental narratives,” Mukherjee said. “Over 270 million have moved out of poverty line in the decade since 2005-06 and the poverty rate in this country nearly halved over the previous period. This is a positive side. Still, there is a significant 269 million people who live below poverty line,” Mukherjee said.
