The Hindu : Kalam justifies expenditure on defence

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 02, 2002

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Kalam justifies expenditure on defence

The students of the Coast Guard Public School presenting a painting of "Mother Shakti" to the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, after he presented the regimental "colours" to the Coast Guard on its 25th anniversary at Daman on Sunday. — PTI

DAMAN DEC. 1. Strongly supporting the country's nuclear programme, the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, today made a veiled reference to Pakistan saying "you cannot sit idle when your neighbour is developing nuclear bombs".

Emphasising that "strength respects strength", Dr. Kalam justified the country's expenditure on defence matters saying that the economic and political freedom of the nation was important.

The President's comments came while interacting with students of the Coast Guard Public School here after presenting "colours" to the sentinels of the Indian Maritime Force.

The main architect of the Pokhran II nuclear tests of 1998, Dr. Kalam brushed aside queries on nuclear non-proliferation stating "India is now a nuclear weapon state".

Asked about the country's defence expenditure, he said: "We spent fraction of an amount on defence compared to our neighbours".

Lauding the role of the Coast Guard in protecting the country's seas, he said: "Five hundred years ago, Daman was taken by foreigners, who came by sea route, because of our weakness, disunity and many issues of smaller kingdoms".

Reiterating that India's nuclear weapon programme was for peace, Dr. Kalam said disarmament was possible only if all developed nations agreed to eliminate their nuclear arsenals.

He exhorted students to "think big". "A young mind ignited with a mission is the most powerful of country's resources", he said and called upon them to "dream big". He asked them to have a "role model" in life and later recited his poem "Song of youth". It says: "I will work and sweat for a great vision to transform India into a developed nation powered by economic strength and value system". — PTI

`They grow back' DAMAN DEC.1. The students of the Coast Guard Public School today got a glimpse of the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's humility, when he took a personal question on his hair in his stride and cracked a joke on them.

During his interaction with the students, Dr. Kalam was asked why he never cut his hair. "Oh, but I do," quipped the President. "Only they grow back."

Sharing his childhood memories with them, Dr. Kalam told the students that he loved cricket but as a child he played "shuttle-cock" (badminton) and volleyball.

On whether he still pursued his career as a scientist, he said he was guiding a student doing his Ph.D in brain research.

"Teachers and scientists never retire," the President said. — UNI

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