Shun divisive politics, says Governor

Speaking at the inaugural session of the three-day international conference on Friday on ‘Gandhian Values: Sustainability and Corporate Governance-2011,’ Bhardwaj stressed that Gandhiji was not a spiritual leader, but a nation builder and a barrister too. He groomed people like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Ambedkar, Moulana Azad and Shyama Prasad Mookerjee to lead the country.

He said a nation can progress only if it is united. He asked people to shed casteism which divides society. “Gandhiji gave us a magnificent democracy. You should regard it. Don’t get carried away by divisive politics. We should not become like Yugoslavia. We must show discipline in our life. We have to be unique,” Bhardwaj said.

He expressed his dismay over people resorting to extra-constitutional methods to achieve their goals. Referring to the assassination of the Mahatma, Bhardwaj said hatred for man could not be a solution.

“We can differ, but we should not kill people. We should not kill a man who saved the nation. Patel and Nehru never agreed with each other, but they continued to work together,” said Bhardwaj.

He said Gandhiji had association with corporate giants like Jamnalal Bajaj and Birla, because they principally agreed with the Gandhian philosophy. “Gandhi used to call them trustees of Indian wealth,” said Bhardwaj.

He took a dig at the growing consumerism and over-ambition to grow rich in a short period. “Problem is with the short-cut methods of growing rich. You never practice these short-cut techniques. Develop powerful professional ethics, whether it is the field of engineering, medical science, law or anything”.

He advised the government to pump in more money in the educational institutions to upgrade them.

“You cannot get good faculties anywhere in India these days. Our leaders should not disappoint younger generation,” Bhardwaj said.

On the issue of terrorism in tribal areas, he said dirty politics had incited violence in the tribal areas, but the fact remained that a tribal was more truthful than anyone in the rest of India.

Earlier, former union minister M V Rajasekaran said Gandhiji inspired many Latin American and African countries. “Go to any university in the world, you will find a chair dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi,” said Rajasekaran.

Not to appoint Lokayukta
Bhardwaj made it clear that he would not take the Gujarat way for appointing the Lokayukta.

“I was a lawyer for the last 50 years and I never did anything unconstitutional in my life. I certainly suggested the government to appoint Lokayukta at the earliest. Whenever I meet Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda, I ask him about the appointment of the new Lokayukta,” he said. When asked whether he had suggested any names, he said: “I am not having any list in my pocket. The government has to do it. I am also waiting for the note from the government to come”.