Close X
Friday, November 8, 2024
ADVT 
National

India's 'Real Dirt' Lies In Minds, Needs A Clean-up: President Pranab Mukherjee

Darpan News Desk, 01 Dec, 2015 11:12 AM
    President Pranab Mukherjee here on Tuesday exhorted people to go strongly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat Mission but ensure the society was first cleansed from within as evinced by Mahatma Gandhi through his life.
     
    "The real dirt of India lies not in our streets, but in our minds and in our unwillingness to let go of views that divide society into them and us; and pure and impure," said President Mukherjee, who inaugurated here a new Archives and Research Centre at the Sabarmati Ashram as well as addressed the 62nd convocation of Gujarat Vidyapeeth founded by Mahtama Gandhi in 1920.
     
    "We must make a success of the laudable and welcome Swachh Bharat Mission. However, this also must be seen as just the beginning of a much larger and intense effort to cleanse minds and fulfil Gandhiji's vision in all its aspects," he said.
     
    An many as 24 doctorates, 49 Masters in Philosophy, 405 post-graduates, 369 graduates degrees and 59 post-graduate diplomas were awarded at the convocation. 
     
    Speaking on the occasion, Mukherjee said, "Gandhiji propounded the principle of Nai Talim for social reconstruction which states that knowledge and work are not separate. The constituents of Nai Talim are the three H: Heart, Hand and Head. To put this philosophy into practice, Gandhiji promoted an academic curriculum of 'basic education for all'."
     
    Mukherjee explained Mahatma Gandhi made the beginning from Gujarat and the Vidyapeeth.
     
    "With ashram shalas and buniyadi schools operating in the remote areas, Gujarat is perhaps the only state where Nai Talim exists in an institutional form. Nai Talim infers charitra nirman or character building, whose relevance is increasing by the day. Learning with value-orientation must guide our approach in education," the President said.
     
    Pointing out that Swatch Mission and Nai Talim worked complimentary to each other, Mukherje said, "Gujarat Vidyapeeth provides education aimed at building character, competence, culture and conscientiousness in students. This is needed to regenerate the country according to Gandhian ideals". 
     
    "Despite growing urbanisation, 68 percent of the country's population still resides in rural areas. Intervention in food security, education, skill development, employment, technology dissemination, health and nutrition, housing, drinking water and sanitation would go a long way to uplift the quality of rural life and address poverty concerns," he said.
     
    Mukherjee said students of Gujarat Vidyapeeth are trained to support rural development in line with Gandhi's vision. 
     
    "They keep the campus clean through their own labour, and the Vidyapeetth educates students in charkha and computer with equal enthusiasm and students are imbibed with the spirit of 'dignity of labour'."
     
    The President said such traditions in community life are not built in a day.
     
    "It must be our endeavour to proliferate this noble practice. Swachh Bharat, according to Bapu, implied a clean mind, clean body and clean environment. Every citizen has a duty to create a clean external and internal environment of self and society to make Swachh Bharat possible."

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Two B.C. Trucking Companies Hold Out On Inking Deal With Unifor, Others Sign On

    Two B.C. Trucking Companies Hold Out On Inking Deal With Unifor, Others Sign On
    Unifor is Canada's largest private-sector union and represents more than 300,000 members across the country

    Two B.C. Trucking Companies Hold Out On Inking Deal With Unifor, Others Sign On

    Internal Power Struggle Within B.C. Korean Society Boils Over Into Legal System

    Internal Power Struggle Within B.C. Korean Society Boils Over Into Legal System
    Assault, embezzlement and libel are just a few of the accusations several members of a nearly 50-year-old Vancouver cultural association are launching at one another as an internal power struggle boils over into the courts.

    Internal Power Struggle Within B.C. Korean Society Boils Over Into Legal System

    Service Packed For Tribute To Alberta MLA Manmeet Bhullar Who Died Helping Motorist During Storm

    Service Packed For Tribute To Alberta MLA Manmeet Bhullar Who Died Helping Motorist During Storm
    Tributes were also read from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, and a video eulogy was played from Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan.

    Service Packed For Tribute To Alberta MLA Manmeet Bhullar Who Died Helping Motorist During Storm

    Cat Bleeding From Severed Tail Tossed 'like Trash' At Cranbrook Dump

    Cat Bleeding From Severed Tail Tossed 'like Trash' At Cranbrook Dump
    The black cat, now named Malala, was found with her tail cut off, her legs tied together, bleeding from several wounds and extremely dehydrated and emaciated.

    Cat Bleeding From Severed Tail Tossed 'like Trash' At Cranbrook Dump

    Vancouver Mayor Talks Climate Change, Green Economy With Trudeau In Paris

    Vancouver Mayor Talks Climate Change, Green Economy With Trudeau In Paris
    Vancouver's mayor sat down with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Paris today to discuss the importance of collaboration between the federal government and Canada's municipalities in fighting climate change.

    Vancouver Mayor Talks Climate Change, Green Economy With Trudeau In Paris

    Soon-To-Be Canadian Set To Recant Oath To The Queen Right After Citizenship Ceremony

    Soon-To-Be Canadian Set To Recant Oath To The Queen Right After Citizenship Ceremony
    In a letter sent to the citizenship court judge earlier this month, Dror Bar-Natan states his opposition to the oath, which he calls "repulsive," and his plan to renege on the pledge following his citizenship ceremony on Monday.

    Soon-To-Be Canadian Set To Recant Oath To The Queen Right After Citizenship Ceremony