Shreyas H S
Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur
Pics: Akshay Nayak Puttur
Puttur, Jul 13: Defining the meaning of ‘enlightened national interest’, written in the BJP’s manifesto that was unveiled prior to the general elections, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, MP (Member of Parliament) from Kanpur and former HRD (Human Resource Development) minister, said that it referred to a self-enlightened and inclusive approach to secure the interests of the nation.
Dr Joshi conveyed this in an exclusive interview with Daijiworld after he was conferred with the ‘Dharmashree Award’ at Vivekananda College, by Dharmashree Pratishtana on Saturday July 12. The statesman that he is, Dr Joshi spared a few minutes from his packed schedule to speak to Daijiworld.
In the manifesto, (Dr Joshi was the chairman of the BJP manifesto committee) it said, 'A doctrine of mutually beneficial and interlocking relationships, based on enlightened national interest'. He refrained from defining this by means of India’s seemingly altered foreign policy. Dr Joshi confined his answer to stating that enlightened interest is self-motivated national interest which aims at protecting the nation at large through every individual of the country.
Persuaded to speak on India’s relations with neighbouring nations, he said, “We should be progressive but not aggressive”, in reply to the question on whether India should act more aggressively in dealing with critical issues.
He also hinted that relations with other countries should be matured without derailing India or the nation which it deals with.
On ‘transforming India’ through science and technology, Dr Joshi contended that science and technology has to be viewed holistically, instead of observing the universe as a machine. He said that there should be an aesthetic approach which, currently, according to him, is not substantially practiced in the nation and across the globe. "An integrated framework in the field of science and technology, that would preserve the country's ancient scientific knowledge while also focussing on practical development would be apt for India," he said.
Despite trying to convince him to speak more on politics and foreign policy, he preferred to talk about education since he has formulated the principle of not commenting on these issues during his visit to academic institutions. Thus, in response to a question on the objectives of education institutions, he delineated that the job of such institutions is to liberate the students from various shackles. “It should liberate the young from superstitious or blind beliefs which are an obstacle to the progress of an individual," opined Dr Joshi.
"Education should facilitate sharpening of the minds. It should motivate the student to develop an analytical view and sprout sense and confidence. Education should not teach how to pave the way to seek jobs but it should enrich the student on becoming an entrepreneur," he stressed. When quizzed on how practical this view would be, he said that there are examples of thousands of people who started with small jobs and emerged as entrepreneurs floating their own businesses or companies.
Speaking of his staunch criticism of influence of the West slowly derailing the spirituality of India, Dr Joshi articulated that the countrymen should maintain sustainable spirituality. "Today, the link between the materialistic world and spirituality has been weakened. This has to be invigorated to bind the spirit of humanity in the country," he concluded.