Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (NR) - pic - Dayanand Kukkaje

Mangalore, Aug 23: Mangalore University’s political science department chairman, Dr P L Dharma addressed the students of Social Work here in the city on Wednesday, 22 August, as part of a seminar on “Vision 2020”, which was organised by Shree Devi Institute of Social Work.

In his speech, expressing his deep anxiety over the ‘romantic view’ being propogated regarding ‘Vision 2020’ Dr Dharma stated that the Vision 2020 document is a dangerously proposed alternative for Indian Constitution.
 
With regard to the much talked about ‘dream’, Dr Dharma observed that Indians will soon be the victims of Vision 2020, where the noble values of Indian Constitution that represents the real vision of our nation builders, will have no place at all. 

In Dr Dharma’s esteemed opinion the Vision 2020 is nothing but a glossy picture, unless issues such as the miseries of large number of students who still depend on poor facilities in government schools, thousands of fishermen, farmers, beedi workers and other laymen who struggle for their survival are addressed.

Former president and scientist Abdul Kalam’s view of ‘Vision 2020’ merely reflects the elitist idea and undermines rural classes, he critically averred. The idea of middle class is being injected into the younger minds without having a single thought towards its implications. Indian society is going to be a world of consumerism, he noted.
 
Dr Dharma also pointed out that the present idea regarding ‘Vision 2020’ will make Indians non-political beings, which will obviously be dangerous to democracy, as human rights and even fundamental rights will be taken over by consumer rights. Thereby bringing about a total political transformation, he added.

The seminar inaugurated by the former opposition leader of Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) Shankar Bhat, who observed that purposeful and planned development of a country and evolvement of an analytical bent of mind from all quarters will definitely enable India to emerge as a superpower in the next millennium he stressed.

Bhat also stressed on the need for all round development of the country rather than a rapid growth in mere technological fields and as a case in point stated, “The important question is not Mangalore getting a Special Economic Zone but how far it will be able to fulfil the requirements of the native people too.”
 
SDM Law College principal Dr B K Ravindra stressed on the need for thrust on education and employment. Garnering all available resources is the need of the hour as nearly one million new employment opportunities will be have to be created over the next two decades, he added.

Shree Devi Education Trust Chairman A Sadanand Shetty, who presided over the function, spoke on the need for a balanced development by bridging the urban-rural divide. Shree Devi Institute of Social Work principal Dr Suresh Kumar was present on the occasion.