Degrees meaningless if youths take to terrorism: Rajnath Singh

PTI
MOHANLALGANJ,
FEBRUARY 7

Decrying knowledge without values, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said technical degrees held by youths become meaningless if they get involved in terror activities.
In a subtle reference to instances of computer and IT engineers committing cyber crimes and often indulging in terrorism, Singh said education without values was doing more harm than good.“Today, there are two ideologies. On one hand youths are bringing laurels to the country, while on the other there are those possessing technical degrees, who are involved in terror activities,” he said.
Knowledge was not everything and it must have moral values attached to it, he said while inaugurating Balram Krishna Academy here.
The Home Minister said he was of the view that serious efforts were not made on the education front after Independence.
“It is my personal view there were some shortcomings on making serious efforts on education front. Even after 68 years of Independence, a large section of the population is still illiterate,” he said.
“The situation is such that a class VI student cannot read level three textbooks. If every person becomes literate and there is skill development, no power can stop all-round growth of the country,” he said.
Singh said that as Education Minister of Uttar Pradesh, he had brought Anti-copying Act.
“We decided that those indulging in such practices will be put behind the bars. I also made a plan that education till class V should be imparted in mother tongue. Those who think that all knowledge comes from English are ignorant,” he said.
The Union Minister said Lord Macaulay disconnected the country from its ancient culture. “We became a victim of that. No other country possesses the knowledge that India has. Even Pythagoras Theorem is copy of India. Foreign scholars have admitted this,” he said.
Singh said though foreign scholars considered Upnishad’s philosophy as a product of highest wisdom, people here were not ready to accept it.
Attacking western culture, he said the old tradition of touching feet of elders and teachers must be maintained.
“This creates an emotional relation. What is this drama of ‘hello dad’ and ‘hi mom’. This is my request to all to inculcate values in your children,” he said recalling his school days.
“Don’t let your children get disconnected from our traditional values,” he said.
Singh said today politics has lost its meaning.
“Politics comprises two words — ‘Raj’ and ‘Niti’. Efforts are to re-establish its relevance in India,” he said.