"Don't boycott Politics", Kalam tells students

Bangalore, Oct 30 (UNI) Former President A P J Abdul Kalam today called upon the school children not to show apathy towards Politics since it had major role to play in building the country.

Delivering the keynote address at 'Renaissance-07 'The New Generation Conference' here, he said, "We need very good, honest people to enter politics. So the youth should not boycott Politics".

While interacting during his speech, he wanted to know from the children that how many wanted to become a politician in their life.

His query evoked pathetic response as only a few hands raised in reply.

Stressing the need for empowering children and youth in the country, Mr Kalam said that there were 54 crore youth in the country. "If you decide you can brighten the country," he said.

Mr Kalam said that Knowledge, creativity and righteousness formed the very important combination that can generate enlightened citizens. "When knowledge acquired was used with righteousness and courage in all the educational campuses, we will have empowered and enlightened citizens, which is required for the growth of the individual and the growth of the nation." He said that to achieve the 'Vision 2020' the country's GDP, which is now 9 per cent should be increased to 10 per cent and also see that the growth was maintained at that rate. The identified areas including Agriculture and food processing, reliable and quality electric power, surface transport and infrastructure for all parts of the country, Education and Health care, Information and Communication Technology and self reliance in critical technologies should be concentrated for overall development of the country and to achieve the Vision.

Mr Kalam said the education system should instill capacities of inquiry, creativity, technology, entrepreneurial and moral leadership in children.

"If we develop in all our students these capacities, we will produce 'Autonomous Learner' a self-directed, self controlled, lifelong learner, who will have the capacity to both respect as well as question the authority in an appropriate manner. These are the leaders who would work together as a 'self-organising Network' and transform India into a developed nation in a time bound manner." He said that the goal of children should be to acquire good knowledge for this they should work hard, problems should not be allowed to conquer.

"No government can make good citizen, it is only the Father, Mother and the Teacher who can mould children to become good citizens of the country," he said.

UNI