SELECTED THOUGHTS Rajiv Gandhi

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Title: SELECTED THOUGHTS
Rajiv Gandhi
extracted text: ELECTED

THOUGHTS

RAJIV
GANDHI J

I100 J

RAJIV GANDHI
(1944-1991)
20 August 1944 - Bom in Bombay
I960- Passed Senior Cambridge Examination from
Doon School. Dehradun.
.1962 - Left for U.K. for higher studies.
1963 - Joined Trinib' College, Cambridge to study
Mechanical Engineering.
1965 — Met Sonia Maino, an Italian, studying at
language teaching school. Cambridge.
28 February ’968- Married Sonia Maino
May 1968- Joined Indian Airlines as a pilot.
21 May 1981- Joined politics - enrolled himself as a
primary member of the Congress (I).
15 June 1981 - Got elected from Amethl Lok Sabha
Constituency.
2 February 1983 - Appointed as Congress General
Secretary.
31 October 1984 - His mother. Indira Gandhi, then
Prime Minister of India, was assassinated

Was sworn in as Prime Minister.
November 1984 - Congress party returned to
power with massive mandate with Rajiv
Gandhi as its leader.

SELECTED

THOUGHTS

Rajiv Gandhi
Compiled by
Dr. J. Bhagyalakshmi

PUBLICATIONS DIVISION
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
Government of India

COMMUNITY h.-alth ceu

328. V M-'in ' ~ lock
Koiamr

PUBLISHER'S NOTE

August,'1991 (Sravana 1913)
© Publications Division

C’ Z'Z
Price Re. 1.00

We are happy to bring to our readers

another new series, "Selected Thoughts". We
have many personalities who contributed their
m ilc to the reconstruction of India. It is worth

Published by
The Director, Publications Division,
Ministry ,of Information and Broad
casting, Government of India. Patiala
House, New Delhi-110001.

noting their thoughts on various issues that
arc confronting India and the world. From

their thoughts we will know their vision of

India. It is for the present and future generations

Printed at:
Seema Offset Press, Delhi-110006.

to realise the dreams of our departed national
leaders.

We hope this series will be welcomed by
the readers as well as our ongoing series

"Quotable Quotes".

Dr. S. S. Shashi
Director
Publibations Division

Apartheid
Apartheid is a blot on our civilisation.
It is a crime against humanity. It has
become a structure of institutional
ised terror, sustained by racist domi
nation and economic exploitation.
To temporize with apartheid is to
compromise with human decency.

The ending of apartheid is not merely
the restoration of human rights and
human dignity to the people of South
Africa, but is. in fact, the restoration of
human rights and human dignity to
all of humanity.
5

Communal Harmony

Communalism is perhaps the biggest
danger that is afflicting our country
today and we must rid the country of
this. We must be united in fighting
this menace.
We have to build a country that
Gandhiji and Panditji dreamed of,
that Indiraji set out to build, where
there is communal harmony, where
we live as brothers and sisters, where
we can hold our heads high—a coun
try which makes us proud to be a
member of the comity of nations.

6

The battle against communalism has
to be fought primarily, in the minds of
our people.
Children
A child must be taught to love- its
family, its country, and also to love the
whole world and look upon it as one
family.

It is for us parents to see that the child
grows up in a world of love and not In
a world of hate.
Democracy
A democracy needs a high level of
debate.
7

Our democracy is strong. It is very
healthy and progressing rapidly. But
that does not mean we can stop and
rest. If democracy is to survive. if it is
to be preserved, we have to defend it
every day, every minute of every day.
We have to protect and nurture it.

in professional standards and profes
sional rectitude.

No institution of democracy is perfect,
there is none \\hich does not contain
room for improvement.
Development

Our experience convinces us that
democracy in India is durable and
effective.

The financial and technological di
mension cannot obscure the essential
human context of development. The
test of development is the making of a
better individual.

Democracy demands a system of
checks and balances which operate
first of all. in the mind, in self-imposed
discipline, in moral values and ethical
principles, in norms and conventions,
8

We must find the resources for devel
opment from within. If we have to
stand independent and proud, it
9

cannot be by taklngan easy route; it
cannot be by luxury and ease; it can
only be by blood, sweat and tears; it
can only be by sacrifice.

We have too often related develop
ment with economic development and
missed the broader aspects of culture
of our society and what truly consti
tutes development.

There is no contradiction between
scientific or modem development and
the development of the spiritual ele
ment in the human being. We need
economic development
combined
with spiritual development.
10

Education
Education permeates every aspect of
life. It must be such that it brings the
best out of our past, takes the best of
the present, but keeps in mind the
future direction that we want to give
the country in terms of political, eco
nomic and cultural development.
Education should -be such that it
builds an inner strength of our people.

The objectives of education basically
are freedom of the individual, a fulfil
ment in life, equality among all our
people, excellence of each individual

11

and collective self-reliance, and per
haps most of all national cohesion.

important national activity. It is the
backbone of any progress that the
country can make.

Education, after all, is basically a
communication method, for commu
nicating ways of thinking, communi
cating perspectives, communicating
values from one generation to the
next, and preparing the next genera
tion to face the challenges that it will
be called upon to undertake.

Education cannot be in islands, or in
pockets. It cannot be claimed to be
successful if we have a few sharp
peaks among our people. What we
really need is to raise the level of the
mass of our society.

Education is not finished when we
leave school or college. It is a process
which continues throughout life.

Environment

Education is perhaps the one most

We must harmonise different environ
mental disciplines. What we need is
harmony between developmental
Issues and environmental matters.

12

13

The awareness of nature must be one
of the most essential Inputs in our
development effort. If development is
isolated from ecology, from the envi
ronment, then development itself
suffers.

Man, with modem technology at his
command, has for the first time the
power to destroy the environment
around him and create a situation
from which he will not be able to come
out, no matter how technologically
advanced he may be.
-

alone. Even as peace is indivisible, so
s the world environment.

There is no dichotomy between pro
tecting the environment and develop
ment. They go hand in hand.
In planting a tree, we express grati
tude to nature. We give back a little bit
from what we have taken so much. It
is an expression of love, of concern, for
one's fellow beings, for life on earth.

All other environmental dangers pale
in comparison to the ever accumulat
ing stock piles of nuclear weapons.

Conservation is not a national task

We need a global effort to bring within

14

15

the easy reach of all. developing and
developed, the technologies that exist
and are yet to be developed to combat
pollution and environmental degra
dation.

Free Press

A free press is an imperative for a
democracy: it is essential for a country
like India if we are to develop and
become stronger.
The profession of journalism is an
exciting profession, it is a demanding
profession and I believe it is a satisfy
ing profession.
16

A free press is integral to a democratic
society. We cannot imagine a true
democracy functioning with a gagged
or suppressed press.

In India we want a free press; we want
a press that is objective, that criti
cises. that is upfront, but would also
like to see the press looking at the real
issues that the country is facing.

The freedom of press, for us, is an
article of faith, sanctified by our'Constltution, validated by our freedom,
and indispensable to our future as
nation.
17

Non-Alignment
Non-Alignment Is a refusal to be
drawn into the barren rivalries and
dangerous confrontations of others.
It is an affirmation of the need for self
confident cooperation among all
countries.

Non-Alignment is, in essence, the
assertion of our right as independent
countries to make up our minds on
international issues free from the
preoccupations and prejudices of the
power blocs.

18

The Non-Aligned Movement has
shown the world the alternative to
disastrous confrontation and de
structive rivalry.
Non-Alignment matters to the world
because we are the conscience keep
ers of humanity. We are the voice of
sanity. We are the custodians of free
dom and human dignity.

Non-Violence

Our legacy from Gandhiji, from Panditj i, from Indiraji, the legacy from the
freedom movement and the Constitu
tion is one of the non-violence. The
19

legacy enjoins upon us to protect the
disadvantaged and weaker sections
and search for peace and develop
ment.
We have built our nation on the basic
philosophy of Gandhiji: of non-vio
lence, of truth, of one humanity. We
have translated this into our foreign
policy of non-alignment.
We need a new vision of humanity, a
vision based on truth and non-vio
lence, a vision that will nourish life in
all its myriad beautiful forms.
If you are looking for a revolution,
20

there is a revolution available today
and that revolution is ahimsa, in one
word.

Nuclear Disarmament
Our vision is of a world which for
swears nuclear weapons and the
doctrines that go with such weaponry,
a world which believes Instead in non
violence and the principles of peaceful
coexistence.
If poverty has to be removed and if
weaker nations have to progress, then
it is essential to have nuclear disar
mament.

- r, 3™ vUN’7
I
V M<2i, / Clock
^orarriangn’a
India

There is only one answer to the men
ace of nuclear war and that is to
dismantle all nuclear weapons, termi
nating the nuclear arms race on earth
and preventing a nuclear arms race in
space.

We must remove the threat of thermo
nuclear war wiping out, in a wink of
history, life as we know it from our
common planet. All nuclear weapons
must be banned.
Science and Technology
We shall develop the technologies of
the future, where we need new tech
nology, we will gel it. Where there is
inefficiency, it will be weeded out.
22

Science is a worldwide discipline, not
confined by political boundaries or by
any narrow walls. It cuts across all
such boundaries.
We have to go to the frontiers of sci
ence to benefit our people, yet that
must be translated into what is so
cially meaningful, what is socially
relevant what can reach out to the
millions of our people.

Science has no political boundaries.
It flows across all boundaries. Ideas,
concepts and the consequences of
various scientific endeavours are a
23

common heritage for all humanity
and it is therefore, for our scientists
not to be cocooned in the knowledge
that is available only within certain
boundaries.
We should not be satisfied with sec
ond rate technologies, second rate
development. We must go to the front
areas.

If India is to get out of its poverty to
become a developed country, it can
only do so by developing science and
technology.
Our task in India is to end poverty and

24

the challenge to our scientists is, how
modem scientific and technological
knowledge can be brought to bear on
the task of removing poverty.
When we talk of technology, it is not
just a question of getting a computer
here or a very highly sophisticated
piece of equipment. It is how that
equipment is used for the benefit of
the everyday life of the average indi
vidual.
We can only afford to keep our doors
and windows open to the winds of
technological change if our private
industry works
towards India
25

becoming a world leader in adapting,
upgrading and generating
new
technology.

India and secularism must remain
synonymous to assure the glory of our
civilisation and the future of our
country.

Secularism

Socialism

We mean by secularism that the state
in India does not interfere in the relig
ious practices of its citizens, nor does
it encourage the mixing of religion
with politics. The State has no relig
ion. At the same time, our State
respects the religious sensibilities of
our people.

Socialism in India is not a dogma. It is
responsive to changing circum
stances.... The focus of our socialism
is the uplift of the poor, succour to the
weak, justice to the oppressed and
balanced regional development.

Secularism for us is the pursuit of
truth in the conviction that truth will
triumph.

26

Our socialism is indigenous to our
country, a response to our needs, to
our aspirations, to our freedom move
ment.
27

Sports
Our effort is to see that sports become
a means for shaping the character of
our youth. Through sports they must
learn to excel as individuals. They
must also learn to play together as a
team.
We must see that sports are for sports
sake and not for winning or losing.

Our endeavour should be to build
healthy bodies through sports and
make ourselves fitness-conscious.

brought about just by putting it in the
Constitution. It is something that
each one of us has to build into the
social system of the country.
Unity does not mean uniformity. It
does not mean obliteration of differ
ences, of identities. It means the
independent development of each of
our cultural systems within an inte
grated whole for the development of
India.

National integration cannot be

It is imperative that we stop looking at
each other in this world as Black,
Brown. Yellow and White, and we
start looking at each other as just

28

29 '

Unity and National Integration

people, brothers and sisters, not dif
ferent from each other.

We have to ensure that casteism is
completely eliminated from our poli
tics. To achieve this, we have to stand
united.

National integration also means a
struggle against social disparities and
disabilities.
Youth

We have full faith in the youth of India.
The youth of India have demonstrated
their wisdom, their maturity in Panchayat elections, local body elections,

30

and we feel that they are now ready to
participate fully in the democratic
process.

It has been said many a time that the
future of India lies in the hands of its
youth. But it is more important to say
this today because over half of our
population is below forty years of age.

The spirit which permeated the battle
for freedom, the principles ofGandhiJi
should once again be propagated
among the present generation.
Women

When the women of India develop

31

their full potential, the country itself
will realise* its full potential.
Women folk transmit our culture from
one generation to the next. They
hand over the torch. This is the
strength of our country today.
As a group, women are perhaps the
largest under privileged group in the
world.

A society's progress can really be
judged by how well half our society
progresses. And if they are to progress
fast, half the talent, half the energy
cannot be ignored.

32

31 December 1984-Was sworn in as PM for the second
time.
24 July 1985 - Signed a memorandum of settlement on
Punjab issue.
15 August 1985 - Signed a memorandum of settlement
on the Assam problem.
15 December 1985 - Received the Beyond War Award
from Beyond War Foundation.
4 August 1986 - Participated in Commonweal th Sum
mit. London.
8 August 1986- Participated in Six nation Summit on
Peace and Disarmament, Mexico.
2 September 1986-Patidpatcd -in Eighth Non-Aligned
Summit. Harare.
10 September 1986- Received Nicaragua’s highest
award "Augusto Cacser Sandina Order"
29 July 1987 - Signed an agreement with Sri Lanka
November 1989 - Rajiv Gandhi elected as leader of
opposition.
21 May 1991 - Killed in a bomb explosion while
electioneering at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.
24 May 1991 - Lastjourney - mortal rem al ns consigned
to flames.
17 June 1991 - Bharat Ratna, the highest honour of the
country conferred posthumously.
6 July 1991 - Sonia Gandhi received the award.

Series

gy.otKtJe

1.

Mahatma Gandhi

2.

Swami

3.

Sri Aurobindo

4.

Rammanohar Lohia.

5.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose

6.

Dr, B.R. Ambedkar

.'.:.aiida

PUBLICATIONS DIVISION
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING
Jg/.A GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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