NRN: Democracy works best in environment of pluralism

Kolkata: Infosys cofounder N R Narayana Murthy on Thursday said democracy works best in an environment of pluralism, where every citizen has the freedom to practice one's own belief without imposing it on others.

Murthy said that democracy in India will prosper only if a mindset is created that highlights the commonalities of various beliefs rather than differences.

"US President Franklin Roosevelt defined true democracy as having four freedoms - freedom of expression, freedom of faith, freedom from fear and freedom from want,'' he said.

Speaking at the convocation of Techno India University, he said in a democracy, one has the freedom to express opinions responsibly, courteously and fearlessly, andalso has the freedom to seek a better quality of life.

"This translates to the responsibility to create a just society, which embraces the principle to provide the strongest set of civil liberties and personal rights, and to tolerate new economic inequalities only if such inequalities ameliorate the conditions of the poor,” the Infosys founder said. (PTI)