"Thousands of Indians have sacrificed their lives to get freedom from the British and build their country into a secular, socialist, republic. It is extremely important for us to preserve our democracy and our Constitutional values," Member of Legislative Assembly Asif (Raju) Sait said in Belagavi on Monday.

He was speaking after inaugurating International Day of Democracy organised by the district administration, zilla panchayat and the Department of Social Welfare at the Suvarna Soudha.

"Democracy, a system where citizens choose their government, is the greatest weapon in the world. Our Constitution and democracy aim to bring and maintain equality in in all spheres of society. The democratic system is a tool to bring about unity and equality. All of us, including politicians, officials, need to work towards implementing democracy for the governance of the people. At the same time, everyone should be aware of the rights given to citizens in a democracy," Mr. Sait said.

"We tend to focus too much on the ruling parties and forget the Opposition. But we need to understand that the Opposition is extremely important in a democracy. A strong nation is built only when all the four pillars of democracy work efficiently," he said.

He called upon the media to assume the role of an eternal Opposition and show the mirror to the ruling classes.

"B.R. Ambedkar's Constitution has given one vote to every voter. This applies to voters of all classes and groups. Every voter should understand this and exercise his right and elect only good leaders," he said. "We are not only the biggest democracy, but also the greatest. We should all be proud of it," he added.

Belagavi Urban Development Authority chairman Lakshmanrao Chingale said that democracy is still strong in India despite a diverse population, as it has been built on the ideologies of progressive thinkers and saints.

"The foundation for democratic thought was laid by reformer saint Basavanna. However, we have to be aware of our rights and strive towards protecting them," he said.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan said that "diversity is the biggest strength of the Indian Republic and we need to celebrate it."

"These basic values have been passed down from our ancestors and the Constitution is a book that has been compiled by combining these values. Protecting the Constitution is the responsibility of all of us and democracy is the strength of our country," Mr. Roshan said.

He urged young people to get out of social media echo chambers by reflecting upon whether the time and effort spent on social media are worth it.

He urged the youth to show love to those who express hatred towards them. "Once you do that, you can understand the basic principles of life," he said.

Winner of a speech competition Kaveri Bhajantri shared her thoughts on democracy. Winners of various competitions like painting and essay writing were felicitated.

Regional Commissioner Janaki K.M., Police Commissioner Bhorase Gulbarao Bhushan, Superintendent of Police Bheemashankar S. Guled, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Rahul Shinde, Probationary IAS Officer Abhinav Jain, Joint Director of Social Welfare Department Ramanagouda Kannoli, District Minorities Welfare Officer Hanummatappa Poojary and others were present.

It is important for all of us to protect and preserve democracy, says MLA