Washington: Indian Overseas Congress chief, Satyanarayan Pitroda, popularly known as ‘Sam’, on Thursday urged for free education and healthcare for all citizens, alleging that an “industry” has been made out of the two sectors. During an interaction with IANS, Pitroda also called Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, as the “custodian of the idea of India”.
Here are some excerpts from the interview:
IANS: There is a debate going on in India about whether Muslims should also be granted reservation under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category?
Pitroda: I can tell you that everybody needs help at the bottom of the pyramid. I’m a son of an OBC. I didn’t know that. In my generation, nobody worried about it. I never knew that until, you know, I graduated from here and worked and somebody said, ‘oh, you are OBC’. I said, ‘oh, yeah’.
But we did get benefit. Like everybody else, I got to do a Masters in Physics in India for something ridiculously cheap, almost free. Today education has become too expensive.
I think when you talk about benefits to OBC and Muslims and all, education and health should be almost free. We have made an industry out of it, that is western model. We need a system where we can provide health and education free.
IANS: In India, the Arvind Kejriwal government tried to do it in Delhi.
Pitroda: It is not a state government issue. What I’m saying is you need the political will at a national level.
You can’t do these things in isolation in one college here or two college there or one state. Not possible. You need a vision of a nation saying, ‘I am going to take responsibility for education and health. As a nation, I will make sure that every kid gets almost free education’.
I mean, look at some of the little kids going to school in India. Their parents pay Rs 10,000 or Rs 20,000 a month or some ridiculous amount as fee, which does not make sense at all. So I firmly believe that health and education should not be privatised to the extent we have. There is a place for private also, but you can’t walk away from your responsibility. Today, we are walking away from our responsibility as a nation.
IANS: How do you see India’s stance on the West Asia conflict?
Pitroda: I think we have not taken the moral high ground. We have really aligned with a rich and powerful aggressor. I am not taking side of any one party I am taking side of what is right.
IANS: Over the last one week, we have seen at least three countries, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey trying to mediate between USA and Iran. Do you appreciate Pakistan’s effort in this regard?
Pitroda: I think everybody should make an effort, they are entitled to, it’s their right to look for ways to mend fences and bring peace, more the merrier according to me. Everybody should try their own and see what works. You never know in this kind of a situation what will work and what will not work.
IANS: Do you think India should also play a role similar to Pakistan in mediating the conflict?
Pitroda: It is not a question of India versus Pakistan. I don’t look at the world that way. Each one has a role to play. You got to respect them. And again, not divide communities by promoting hate based on religion, based on rivalries. That’s petty. I hope we have evolved to a point we can think beyond petty boundaries.
IANS: As we speak Pakistan’s Foreign Minister was in China today and both the countries have come together with a joint statement asking for this war to end. Do you think India should be siding with Pakistan and China, rather than with USA and Israel?
Pitroda: It is not siding with people, but it is really fighting for the right. It is not about taking sides today. The key issue today is to bring peace and bring peace quickly at any cost because innocent people, children are being killed on every side. I am not taking sides. Infrastructures, homes are damaged. People are on the roads. Hospitals are attacked. It is our responsibility to protect everyone, whether Iranian, American or Israeli children.
IANS: It is being argued in Delhi that if Rahul Gandhi was the prime minister he would have persuaded the US to end the war. What is your view on this?
Pitroda: Rahul Gandhi stands for an idea. To me, he’s a custodian of the idea of India, our founding fathers handed over to us, rooted in truth, trust, democracy, diversity, respect for other human beings, rooted in respect for everybody. That idea, according to me, is what Rahul Gandhi would have presented. It is not against Pakistan, it is not against America, it is not against Israel, it is not against Iran. It is for certain principles which we stand for.
For example, what would happen if today Pandit Nehru and others, who were a part of the Non-Aligned Movement were alive, what’s the stand they would have taken? That is the stand I think Rahul Gandhi would take. He would rise above party lines, above politics, he would speak for people, non-violence, and peace and sitting across the table to resolve our differences.”
IANS: So Rahul Gandhi’s foreign policy would be completely different from what it is here right now?
Pitroda: Foreign policy would be more looking in the interest of India and in the interest of the world. Not one country here or there. That’s not how foreign policy should be run. Foreign policy cannot be run based on short term gains. It has to be based on high moral ground, long term vision and certain principles.
IANS: The BJP in West Bengal and Assam has called for the expulsion of Bangladeshis and Rohingya migrants from these states. Is it justified or does it violate human rights?
Pitroda: I don’t know enough on it in order to comment. I would leave that to the local politicians. But I come from a humanitarian background. I am not looking at this as what is good for them and what is good for us. I am looking at it from the viewpoint of what is good for everybody. And again, I go back to high moral grounds and whenever you go on high moral grounds, you have to be ready to sacrifice.
(IANS)
