President Pranab Mukherjee Avoids Comment On Malala Yousafzai's Invite To India

NEW DELHI: President Pranab Mukherjee has refrained from commenting on Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai inviting the prime ministers of India and Pakistan to the award ceremony even as he lauded her "courage and indomitable spirit".

"Constitutionally, the Indian President is above day to day politics...So, what the leaders should do or not do, I leave it to them. I would not like to make any comment," he said in media interviews here adding that he had severed his political connections the day he decided to contest presidential elections.

However, the president was full of praise for Malala whom he described as a young girl who represents courage and indomitable spirit which is the driving force of civilization.

"I don't know from where she got this courage and conviction but she has stayed true to her conviction and risked her life, she did not deviate from her mission even a single millimetre. I am happy that her service and fighting spirit to liberate women and educate them has been recognised by Nobel Peace Committee," he said.

He also lauded the efforts of India's Kailash Satyarthi who shares the prize with Malala saying he has been recognized by various organisations for his activities against child labour for quite some time.

"He is known for not only building an awareness campaign but also setting up institutional arrangements through which he got them freed from work, gave them education and later, helped them establish themselves in life," Mukherjee said.

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