Kalam administers eight-point oath to tribals

B R Hills, Karnataka, Oct 15 (UNI) President A P J Abdul Kalam today administered an eight-point oath to the 'tribal citizens' that will offer them better and contented life.

Speaking at the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of the Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra here where he also celebrated his 76th birthday with tribal children, he said first of all the tribal parents should realise that ''Children are our precious wealth.'' ''Secondly, we should give equal importance to male and female children in providing education and their rights for growth in our society. Then for health and prosperity we will have a small family.

We should realise that earnings come out of hard work. So we should not waste it in gambling and liquor,'' he told the tribals.

President Kalam also asked the tribal parents to pledge that, ''We will tell our children about the importance of education as learning gives knowledge and knowledge will make our children succeed. We will jointly protect our forest and prevent pollution. Trees and water bodies are our wealth, we will protect them. We will become role models for our children.'' UNI BSP RS SK HT1732