Compulsory military training for students planned

NEW DELHI, NOV. 24. The Government is contemplating two-month long military training for every child upto the age 16 to motivate them for the country's better future, the Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, said here today.

``Though no headway has been made in this regard in the past, we propose to do it now, not for mobilisation but for motivation among the youth so that we have a better future,'' Mr. Fernandes said, addressing a seminar on ``Role of NCC in mobilisation of youth.''

``The country still wants sacrifices in one form or the other but nothing can go wrong as long as people continue to get inspired with the Gandhian values and events like Kargil.'' On the issue of militancy in the Northeast and Kashmir, he said ``finally the issue has to be solved through dialogue.''

He said ``an army of 34 crores unemployed people'' was available in the country which had to be absorbed soon otherwise their brains could work against the country's interest.

Ignores protest

``I have been administered the Oath of Office by the President and I continue to function in the office,'' he told reporters when asked about the Opposition's plans to bring a censure motion against him in Parliament.

On Opposition parties plan to prevent him from entering the House as Defence Minister, he said ``I have so much of work to do outside Parliament.''

- PTI

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : National
Previous : Consultations begin on India's role in Afghan
           reconstruction
Next     : Meet to evolve code of conduct for legislators