Opinion Lokpal or Home Pal?

“WHAT CAN I GIVE?” is the new campaign that Dr. Kalam is currently popularising. It aims at making Indians,especially the children and youth,energetic and dynamic; imbued with a spirit to give and be change-agents; and determined to “work with integrity and succeed with integrity”.

Dr. Kalam elaborated: “What is our biggest opportunity for transforming India into an economically developed,socially integrated and ethically upright nation? And what is the biggest hurdle in realising this opportunity? It is corruption,bad governance,inefficiency in our society and insensitivity of our citizens.” There is a lot of talk these days about the need to have a strong Lokpal to combat corruption in the system. “Of course,we need a strong Lokpal,” he says. But is that the only thing we need? After all,there is so much corruption all around that the functioning of a good Lokpal could end up filling prisons!

Therefore,Dr. Kalam emphasised: “What is needed is a grassroots initiative to create a new generation of Indians that learns the virtue of integrity at a young age. Our biggest hope and our greatest resource is our children and youth. We need to ignite and inspire their minds. We need to activate their ingrained spirit of “What can I give to the Nation,Society and the Environment?” His ‘Join Kalam’s Youth Brigade’ campaign (http://www.whatcanigive.info) appeals to the people to actively participate in various types of giving,depending on their ability and aptitude.

India’s most admired youth icon explained to me that the basic unit of “giving”—also the basic unit of all real and enduring change in society —is Family. “Give happiness to your mother” is his mantra. “When mother is happy,family is happy. When family is happy,the nation is happy.” The father’s responsibility,he underscores,“is to be truthful”. In his talks to students,he urges them to appreciate their parents if they are not corrupt. However,he also advises them to say “no” in case their parents indulge in corrupt practices. In other words,if the ‘Home Pal’—with parents and children as its conscientious members —is vigilant,the Lokpal’s burden will become a lot lighter.

A key element of Dr. Kalam’s ‘Home Pal’ campaign is inculcation of ethical and social values in children. How to achieve this? He has some practical suggestions: (1) Each family should have a home library with at least ten good books,which are inspiring and can shape the character of both the parents and their children. The habit of reading good books should be nurtured at a very young age. Our children,he says,should know about,and get inspired by,the lives of Rama,Krishna,Vidura,Karna,our saints and poets (Tirukkural is his favourite saint-poet),Mahatma Gandhi,Swami Vivekananda,great scientists of the world and,of course,all the great prophets of the world. (2) The family should eat at least one meal together. Its members should devote at least some time daily to pray together; share some good thoughts that they have either read from the books or have gathered from other sources; and together enjoy some healthy entertainment,which is not dependent solely on TV viewing. (3) Children should take a pledge to render some change-oriented voluntary service either in school,neighbourhood or in the community.

“If the family environment is spiritual,the child will become self-motivated and grow up into a good and active citizen. She or he will begin to exert a positive influence on parents and in school and the community. This is what a family can give to itself and to the nation.” Dr. Kalam told me that he has been administering the ‘What Can I Give?’ pledge to children around the country. “The response is very heartening.”