Prof Yogendra Yadav delivers lecture in ‘India as an idea’ series at Kennedy Hall,AMU

Aligarhleaks…,Renowned activist, Professor Yogendra Yadav today delivered the fourth lecture in the ‘India as an idea’ series on the topic, ‘India 2.0’ at Kennedy Hall Auditorium, Aligarh Muslim University. The University Club for Short Evening Courses (CSEC) of the Cultural Education Centre (CEC) organized the programme.
While delivering the lecture, Prof Yadav said that to understand what is India 2.0, we need to know that it is a dream and we have to reach there from India 1.0.“Out of the many things need to be done to reach there, the foremost is to change the definition of patriotism,” said Prof Yadav adding that true patriotism requires the possibility that you are able to say, as an act of civic identification, that I am ashamed of a few things happening in my country in certain respects.He pointed out that we will only be able to move ahead, when we accept our flaws and open our minds for a change.
Prof Yadav further said that nationalities are inherited by people at the time of their birth. “It is not that we chose to be nationals of one country,” said Prof Yadav. He added that the worst thing, people do as they grow older is that they start following ‘football nationalism’ of loving your team and hating and abusing others.
He further said that the public universities have a great responsibility of taking their students beyond the existing patriotism and train them to love all countries and people.
Talking about the modern ‘idea of India’, Prof Yadav said that India borrowed democracy from the west and made an example of democratic values reaching the last man.
“India also showed the world that unlike the European nation states, the Indian nation can function with democratic values with diversities in culture, religions, races and languages,” said Prof Yadav.He also pointed out that Mahatma Gandhi’s model of development, which was meant to reach all sections of the society is another unique Indian idea, but it is yet to be realized.Prof Yadav stated that anyone living in any part of the world, who believes in the principles of Indian democracy, diversity and development, is an Indian to him. “In this context, even Nelson Mandela is an Indian to me,” he lamented.
Prof Yadav said that he does not like to believe that the average Indian is growing more intolerant. “But it is certainly the case that those setting the standards of public life and public discourse do not reflect this liberality,” he added.
While, concluding the lecture, Prof Yadav said that people with small minds, resentful hearts, constricted souls and hateful speech are setting the norms of tolerance and intolerance. “Every patriot should be worried about this and, yes, be ashamed,” said Prof Yadav.  Prof Mirza Asmer Beg, Department of Political Science delivered the vote of thanks while Mr Ameen Ahmad, Secretary, CSEC conducted the programme. Prof F S Sherani, Coordinator, CEC and Prof Parvaiz Talib, President, CSEC helped organizing the lecture.