Union Home Minister Amit Shah says that Universities should not be the arena of ideological battle while inaugurating the International Seminar at DU
Union Home and
Cooperation Minister Amit Shah said that universities should not be the arena
of violence and ideological battles. Instead of conflict, there should be place
for discussion. Amit Shah was addressing as the Chief Guest during the opening
ceremony of the 3-day seminar organized by Delhi University. As part of the Centenary
Celebrations, this three-day international symposium on Revisiting Ideas from
'Swaraj' to 'New India' is being organized by the Department of Political
Science, University of Delhi. Union Minister for Education and Skill Development
and Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan was present as the special guest at
the inauguration of the seminar, while the function was presided over by the
Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Yogesh Singh.
In his address
during the function, Amit Shah said that there is no need to fight for
Ideology, but only through discussion, Ideology progresses and lasts for ages.
He said that no one remembers those who destructed Nalanda and Taxila
Universities. Regarding the fight for rights, he called upon the youth to not
just think about their rights, but take care of their responsibilities too.
When you worry about your responsibilities, then someone's rights will be
protected on its own. He called upon the youth to adopt the path of
responsibility by choosing the path of struggle.
Explaining the
importance of universities for change in the society, he said that whenever
changes happen, the universities are their carriers. Universities have been of
special importance in the era of change. He said that our universities have
been the carriers of many movements since independence movement and now they
can become carriers of movement of ideas. In the context of University of
Delhi, he said that this university has maintained its relevance even after 100
years, which is a great achievement. For this, from the first Vice Chancellor
of DU Hari Singh Gaur to the current Vice Chancellor, Prof Yogesh Singh,
everyone deserves an applause. He said that the University of Delhi should also
be the carrier of the change that has started in this country after 2014. Since
the inception of DU, he remembered many great personalities who have been
associated with DU. Delhi University has also contributed a lot in the movement
to save the country's democracy in 1975.
Regarding the
theme of the seminar, the chief guest said that this is a very important topic.
Many ideas will be discussed in this seminar. Regarding the interpretation of
the word Swaraj in the title of the seminar, he said that after independence,
the rulers limited its definition only to the system of governance, while the
meaning of this word is very broad. He said that the word self has great
importance in the concept of Swaraj. Swadeshi, truth, non-violence, swadharm and
nationalism are included in the interpretation of the word ‘self’. The then
rulers limited all the systems related to Swaraj only till governance. He said
that the idea of New India is contained in this broad idea of Swaraj.
He said that it
is not correct to see India as a geopolitical country, because India is a geo-cultural
country. There is cultural unity in every corner of India and it is this
culture that connects us. He said that it is our specialty to accept the good
that is happening in the world, but that does not mean that our past is not
relevant. We talked about universal brotherhood thousands of years ago. He said
that for years India had been under attack by neighboring countries, but when
India gave a befitting reply by conducting surgical strikes and air strikes,
then India's defense policy became clear to the world.
Shah said that
during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, efforts have been made to
make India socially and economically prosperous in the last 8 years. A lot of
work has been done in India socially, educationally, economically and
culturally. Earlier, 80 crore people who did not consider themselves to be a
part of the country's system, now with schemes like Antodaya, they have started
considering themselves as a part of India's economy. Beneficiaries are getting
money through DBT directly into the accounts without middlemen. During Corona,
by applying 190 crore vaccines, an example has been set in the world.
Today India is
ahead of the world's competition. He said that development is not happening for
one section of the society but for the whole society. Referring to the removal
of AFSPA from 75% of the North East under the strong leadership of Narendra
Modi, he said that once people used to say that rivers of blood will flow by
removing Article 370, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi removed it in an
effortless manner and no one even had the courage to throw even a single stone
or pebble.
The Home
Minister further said that the National Education Policy 2020 is the document for
a bright future of India. Under this, an attempt has been made to provide a
platform to all types of knowledge. He said that this is the first education
policy which no one could oppose. Under the new education policy, he described
the policy of giving education in mother tongue up to the first 5 years of
schooling as beneficial for the future. Shah said that whoever is cut off from his
mother tongue is cut off from his roots. One can learn in any language in the
country's education system, but without studying your mother tongue, you will
not be able to connect with the basic roots of the country.
He said that
under the new education policy, importance has been given to vocational
education from class 6 to 8. In the old education policy, children used to
choose the stream from class 11th onwards, whereas now they will be able to
choose the stream for further education from class 9th onwards. Describing the
many schemes launched by the Modi government, he said that only the youth of
this country can make this country great. At the end of his address, the Home
Minister said that the nectar that will emerge from the thoughts in this
three-day seminar will undoubtedly be useful for the country.
In his welcome address, Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh
called it a golden day in the history of the University with Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit
Shah visiting its campus. Hailing our Prime Minister’s dream of making India a
6 trillion dollar economy till 2047, the Vice Chancellor emphasised the role of
the University in realising this dream that shall entail a growth rate of at
least 10% in the next 20 years. He said that it is the Universities where such
ideas formulate and are implemented. Emphasising the role of ideas, he
mentioned that it was an idea only that was thought of as a centenary chance of
letting students complete their pending degrees from the University of Delhi.
The registration for appearing in examination as a part of this centenary
chance was open for a fortnight and saw a phenomenal 1560 students registering
for the same, the oldest among whom is a 1977-1980 batch student of B.Com. from
ARSD College. Such out of the box ideas, he said, are required to make Modi
ji’s dream of a ‘New India’ a reality.
Special
Guest, Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Education and Skill Development
and Entrepreneurship, in his address, applauded the University of Delhi for
playing a leadership role in implementation of the National Education Policy
2020, which, he said, shall play an important role in shaping the ‘New India’.
He also charted a road map for the University of Delhi and emphasised that the
University should aim at starting futuristic short term courses, like those in
patent processes, green GDP accounting, E-commerce, etc. He also said that
India has shown itself to be a resilient economy during the Covid pandemic and
it should be the role of the University to portray India’s present welfare
governance model as a global brand.
In
his special lecture, Mukul Kanitkar, National Organising Secretary, Bhartiya
Shikshan Mandal, said that India
is known in all spheres like economic, political and social, not just
spiritual. We have shifted from Swaraj to Atmanirbhar Bharat and the use
technology at right time would take India to the zenith of power. This model of
power shall teach the world to live with family with love. Repair, reuse and
recycle are the solutions to existential problem of today and the University
can become a model for Green and sustainable life. These, he felt, shall be few
of the new components of a ‘New India’.
During the inauguration ceremony of the seminar,
apart from the chief guest, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, special guest, Union
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, DU Vice Chancellor Prof Yogesh Singh,
National Organization Secretary of Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal Mukul Kanitkar, many
dignitaries including Dean of Colleges Balaram Pani, Director of DU South Delhi
Campus, Prof Shri Prakash Singh, Director, COL, Prof Payal Mago, DU Registrar
Dr Vikas Gupta, Head of Department of Political Science Prof Sangeet Ragi,
Convener of Centenary Celebrations Committee Prof Neera Agnimitra, Vice
Chancellor of Teachers Training University Prof Dhananjay Joshi, DU PRO Anoop
Lather etc. were present.
The following documents were released during the inaugural session of the
seminar:
Along with the summary booklet of the seminar,
the Updated Act of DU was also released on this occasion. A translated version
of the outline of the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework 2022 based on the
National Education Policy-2020 in Gujarati, Oriya, Bengali and Urdu languages was
also released.