'Temper politics with Gandhian ethos'

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, DEC. 24. The Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K.Advani, today claimed that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government at the Centre had succeeded in strengthening the faith of the common man in the elected representatives.

Inaugurating the 26th National Convention of the Giants International, he also called for the revival of the Gandhian ethos of tempering politics with selfless social work. Avoiding political polemics, he indulged in some loud and plain thinking about the state of politics in the country.

Earlier, the President of the Giants International, Mr. Nana Chudasama, had described Mr. Advani as the best Home Minister the country has had in recent years and that he was doing outstanding work. The Government at the Centre was doing excellent work and everyone should be proud of it.

Mr. Advani said that it would not help democracy if the people remained cynical about their elected representatives. After Independence, politics in the country came to be corrupted and was bereft of the earlier emphasis on social and constructive work. Many used it for self-empowerment and aggrandisement. In contrast, politics was a mission for leaders such as Balgangadhar Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Rajendra Prasad and B.C.Roy. However, today there was only a facade of the service motto in politics. Many politicians were, in fact, using public life as a shortcut to earn money and power, which they could not secure by being in any other profession. That was one of the reasons why politics had fallen in the public esteem. However, there was also a decline in values in other spheres in the country. But the decline in the ranks of politicians was being highlighted as they were in the limelight.

Mr. Advani said that the media in the country was also giving unwarranted prominence to politicians and the so-called celebrities. ``The real heroes are those who help their fellow citizens''. He noted that along with attainment of political freedom, Gandhiji strove for freeing the people from social and economic inequality, mental slavery and prejudice. He came to institutionalise social service. For him, no job was lowly, and keeping the toilets in his ashram clean was as important as holding talks with the Viceroy. In contrast, people were now coming back from countries such as Singapore with stories as how the streets there were free from litter. ``Why can't we build up those habits here itself ?''

Stressing the importance of non-government organisations, Mr. Advani spoke of how after migrating from Karachi in Pakistan in 1947 to Rajasthan, he found that in the Shekawati region of the State, the rich in the towns and villages were building amenities such as roads, hospitals and schools without depending on the Government. However, with the emphasis on socialism, people in the country had come to look to the Government for everything. Though things were changing, there was the danger of a swing to the other extreme, the Government freeing itself of all its responsibilities. A synergetic approach involving the State and the people was what was needed.

The Home Minister praised the various constructive activities launched by the Giants such as de-addiction of the people from liquor and drugs, popularisation of family planning and creation of awareness about AIDS. The last programme had been taken up in Ghataprabha in Karnataka where a great name in Gandhian constructive work, Dr. N.S.Hardikar, had built a hospital.

Mr. Chudasama said that this year the Giants had set a record of inducing 37,000 couples to undergo sterilisation. They had set a target of 50,000 for next year.

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