The Hindu : 'Value-based education can eliminate corruption'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 09, 2004

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'Value-based education can eliminate corruption'

By Manas Dasgupta

GANDHINAGAR, FEB. 8. The President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, today had a dig at the multiplicity of political parties in the country and said that the best way to eliminate corruption in public life was by inculcating value-based education.

Speaking at the golden jubilee celebration of the Children Forum of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purshottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) at the Akshardham Swaminarayan temple here his evening in the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, and the Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, Mr. Kalam narrated a story of God and the devil to hit out at political parties. He then turned to Mr. Advani with a smile and said he was exactly reproducing the story as was told to him by some religious leaders.

About 20,000 children from various BAPS-run children training centres participated in the celebrations and later took part in a question-answer session with the President.

Mr. Kalam said God agreed to allow the devil to recreate the earth if he could answer three questions. The devil was successful in answering the first two questions — the exact number of stars in various galaxies and counted the sand on earth. God then asked the devil to count the number of political parties in India. "The devil is still counting and has not yet been able to come up with the correct answer," the President said.To a question on eliminating corruption in the country, Mr. Kalam said no amount of laws would be able to wipe out corruption in public life unless education was made value-based. Stressing that "charity begins at home," he said only the parents and the elementary school teachers could teach children the lesson of value system in life. "You have to first make your home happy and beautiful sans corrupt practices, then only the country can become corruption-free," he said.

On curbing terrorism, Mr. Kalam first said that the question should be posed to Mr. Advani, but then volunteered to answer it. Pointing out that terrorism could come from three sources — from across the border, some dissatisfied elements within the country and from large-scale poverty — he said a combination of economic prosperity to eliminate poverty, value-based education to root out dissatisfaction and friendly relations with the neighbouring countries could only solve the problem of terrorism. He appreciated the steps being taken by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government to improve relations with Pakistan.

He said his vision was to see India a developed country by 2020 when about 260 million people still living below the poverty line would be brought above the poverty level. "My dream is to see a smile on everyone's face," he said and added that he was convinced it would not be difficult for a resourceful country like India with rich natural and mineral resources and huge human resources, particularly 540 million youths, to achieve the objective of becoming a developed country in the next 16 years.

Mr. Kalam said he strongly believed that India's "core competence" was its success in keeping the democratic structure of the country unharmed. But what the country needed now was "compassionate leaders" at various fields and various levels who would try to understand and solve people's problems without discriminating on religion, caste and other basis.

He disagreed that keeping faith in religion and science was contradictory.

"While keeping faith in God gives you peace and happiness, science is required to create wealth and prosperity. It is only the combination of religion and science that can truly make a person happy and prosperous."

While Mr. Advani described the gathering as a "unique experience" and expressed happiness at the Readers' Digest having included the Akshar Purshottam temple in London among the "70 modern wonders of the world," Mr. Modi appreciated the contributions of "sadhus and saints" in the re-awakening of the Indian society.

The Governor, Kailashpati Mishra, said that for the children in the country, Mr. Kalam had become "Mama Kalam" (maternal uncle) as Jawaharlal Nehru was revered as "Chacha Nehru" by children.

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