What kind of society are we developing into? President Kovind breaks silence on Kathua rape-murder

President Ram Nath Kovind today condemned the Kathua rape and murder case as "heinous" and "shameful" and said there was a need to introspect on "what kind of a society we are developing into". The president said crimes against children are a deep concern for humanity and there was a need for a firm resolve to provide safety to children.

"Such an incident happening in our country after 70 years of independence is shameful. We all have to think where we are going.What kind of society are we developing into. What are we giving to future generation", he said. The president was addressing the 6th convocation of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University here .

"I feel the smile of children is the most beautiful thing in the world. The biggest success of our society is to ensure safety of children that they feel secure. It is the first responsibility of any society to ensure security of children so that they feel secure", he said.He said children have been becoming targets of serious crimes in some or other part of the country.

"Recently one child became target of a heinous and barbaric crime, which nobody could ever imagine", he said, referring to the brutal gangrape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua."Are we developing such a society where our mother sisters and daughters are getting their right of justice, equality and freedom as enshrined by the Constitution", he asked.

The president called for a resolve to provide security and safety to girl child across the nation.

"It is the responsibility of all of us that it (cases like the Kathua rape and murder case) do not happen with any of our sisters or daughters", Kovind said. He said if there is good education it makes students good human beings and people who have sensitivity and sense of equality towards others.

Speaking at the convocation, he said, "A good human being, if he becomes a doctor, becomes a good doctor, and if he becomes an engineer, a good engineer, which is better for society", he added.In the convocation, 882 students were awarded degrees in various disciplines including 439 graduate degrees, 427 masters degrees besides 16 PhDs and 26 medals.

Recognising their contribution and achievements, founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, Sunil Bharti and Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Munjal Auto Engineering Limited, Sudhir Munjal have been conferred honorary doctorate by SMVDU on the occasion.

Earlier, the President reviewed the ceremonial guard of honour upon his arrival here and lauded the high morale of troops, a defence spokesperson said.

Soon after his arrival at technical airport here, the supreme commander of the armed forces was presented the president's Guard of Honour by soldiers of the Gorkha Rifles.

Accompanied by first lady Savita Kovind, the president was received by Governor N N Vohra, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Speaker Legislative Assembly Kavinder Gupta and Chairman Legislative Council Haji Anayat Ali at Technical airport here, an official spokesman said.