Views, Quotes, Extracts from Speeches & Lectures

Corruption

Corruption is treason.

A person is either corrupt or not corrupt. The size of the bribe that is extracted does not measure the magnitude of the corruption, but only the extent of the power that the corrupt person has at that time.

The corrupt official who extracts a small bribe for winking at a small offence will not hesitate to allow a car full of explosives to pass through a check point provided the bribe is large enough.

Patriotism

Patriotism does not merely mean standing up for the National Anthem, though that of course must be done. Patriotism means never doing anything that hurts the country or its citizens. It also means doing everything possible to help the country and to promote its interests. This includes carrying out one’s normal duties in the government, the public sector or the private sector with the maximum efficiency, devotion, commitment and innovativeness.

Democracy

Whatever their religion, caste, state or language, all citizens of India are equal and are entitled to equal treatment in all parts of the country.

Democracy is not mobocracy.

Democracy is ‘rule by discussion’. It is not rule by the use of force, though force has to be used against criminals and others who themselves use it illegally to destroy democracy and law and order in the country.

Democracy is ‘rule by the majority’, but this majority must not be a majority that is determined entirely by birth.

Indian Development Strategy

India’s economic policies from 1956 to 1991 had the stated intention of making India self-reliant and of eliminating poverty, but had the effect of slowing down India’s growth and perpetuating poverty, which remained at 40% of the population until 1991. While claiming that its policies were trying to achieve ‘self reliance’, these policies were actually aimed at achieving something quite different, namely ‘self sufficiency’ and they, therefore, failed miserably in doing even that.