Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said there were multiple terror incidents in India involving educated people, adding that despite being a millionaire one can become someone like Osama bin Laden, while a newspaper vendor, “batting several hardships”, can become APJ Abdul Kalam.
Speaking at the convocation of Dr DY Patil Vidyapeeth in Pune, the Union minister also referred to an article by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and columnist Thomas L Friedman comparing terrorist outfit Al-Qaeda with Indian software giant Infosys. “He (Friedman) said that people (working) in both Infosys and al-Qaeda are highly educated, and have a mission and commitment,” Singh added.
Singh said the only difference between the two is that one works for “the society, the welfare of the country…human beings”, while the other “carries out 9/11 attacks”.
The minister said the disparity in their actions despite both parties being “highly educated” is their values.
Talking about the 9/11 attacks, Singh further mentioned instances where young people, who took “complex pilot training” in the US crashed planes into the World Trade Centre.
{{/usCountry}}Talking about the 9/11 attacks, Singh further mentioned instances where young people, who took “complex pilot training” in the US crashed planes into the World Trade Centre.
{{/usCountry}}“Even after being a trained pilot in America, and doing a lot of reading and writing, one can become Khalid Sheikh or Mohammed Atta (terrorists responsible for the 9/11 attacks),” the minister added.
Addressed the Convocation ceremony of Dr. DY Patil Vidyapeeth in Pune today. Exhorted the youth to ideate, innovate and indigenise new technologies to achieve the goal of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’…
Referring to Swami Vivekananda, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said the Indian philosopher had spoken about every society and nation having its own basic nature and only by developing the same can help it move forward.
Singh also urged the graduating batch to focus on their values and principles, saying that these will guide them in the direction they take in their lives.