President reiterates his dream: India in G-8

President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam today said it was his dream to see India at par with G-8 nations. Talking to students of Tezpur University in A...

President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam today said it was his dream to see India at par with G-8 nations.

Talking to students of Tezpur University in Assam on the last leg of his two-day North-East tour today, Kalam said: ‘‘My dream is to see the Prime Minister sitting in the G-8 meeting.’’

	Students’ Union denied appointment with Prez
ITANAGAR: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union on Tuesday criticised the state government for denying it an appointment with President Kalam. Union president Dominic Tadar’s statement said denying AAPSU, the apex students’ organisation in the state, an opportunity to meet the President was a wrong precedent. A memorandum was submitted to Kalam through the secretary to the state governor. (PTI) Story continues below this ad

For this to happen, the Poverty Line had to be zero and the country economically stronger, the President told more than 150 students drawn from various schools and the University.

Kalam, who turned 72 today, said the GDP should be increased from five to 10 per cent to end the miseries of over 300 million people living below the Poverty Line. ‘‘The countrymen must have self dignity. Vision ignites the mind, and in every field India has produced the best of leaders,’’ he said.

The President said that the elections in Jammu and Kashmir reflect a change in the mind of the people. It is a victory for democracy and a message to the world.

Asked by a student how one could meet him in Delhi, Kalam said it was always his endeavour to meet the student community. ‘‘My goal is to meet one lakh students. Till now, I have met about 75,000 of them. I will meet the rest by August next year,’’ the President said.

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Earlier in Itanagar, he stressed the need for a 10-year vision for the development of Arunachal Pradesh. ‘‘A prosperous and beautiful Arunachal Pradesh of tomorrow depends heavily on a vision for the future,’’ he said.

Asked by children if he could have served the country better as a scientist, the President said: ‘‘I worked for 20 years on the space programme. Then I came over to Defence and worked for another 20 years. India became nuclear and all along I wondered on how to transform India into a developed country.’’

The police said the trio from Chandigarh — Rohan (21), Sumit (22), and Mohit (19) — were dhol players by profession and had procured the weapons due to an old rivalry with local residents.

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A lecturer of Commerce and his associate were arrested for assaulting his wife, garlanding her with slippers and parading her on the road with her male friend. The woman, who has been living separately from her husband, was assaulted and humiliated in public. The incident was recorded and shared on social media. Police have seized evidence and are investigating the matter.

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