Mumbai, January 6
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today lashed out at opposition parties for criticising the Union government’s efforts in rewriting history books, saying it was time students got a right perspective of education.
“For years they have misinterpreted history and when we attempt to place history in the right perspective, they accuse us”, he said after laying the foundation stone for Vivekanand Education Society’s (VES) Hashu Advani Memorial Complex here.
He said the government was leaving no stone unturned to promote education but lack of resources and various other amenities had created hindrances.
Lamenting that “not merely lack of resources, but dedication and determination also appear to be missing”, Mr Vajpayee said “it was now time for the selfless and patriotic educators to come forward and ensure that education was given its due place in India”.
Though following an amendment to the Constitution, education had become a fundamental right, the government now required the support and initiative of the private sector in ensuring that the policy of “each one, teach one” transformed itself into a reality, he added.
Lauding technological advancement in India, Mr Vajpayee said progress through science and technology should be used not only for space missions but also for agriculture and other related fields.
The farmer should be able to benefit from the rapid strides taken by science and technology, the Prime Minister opined.
Mr Vajpayee said India, which had been importing foodgrains, could today boast of exporting it to various countries and making significant progress in science and technology.
However, he lamented that there were still many who were deprived of foodgrains due to an erroneous distribution system which needed to be immediately corrected.
Recounting a childhood poem “Chanda Mama Ayega”, he said “Chandrama Ayega Lekin Vigyan Se” (we can reach the moon through science).
Referring to Indians settled abroad, the Prime Minister said India had a vast potential of natural resources and talented people who had chosen to go abroad and invest their brains and energy.
He said it was time to develop such an environment that these resources remained in India and this could happen only if educational institutions did not restrict themselves to merely producing graduates but in ensuring a new culture and a new value system that was beneficial to the country.
PTI
