We Require Intellectual Crusades

We Require Intellectual Crusades whole struggle was centred on rights-activism. This strategy made the whole society a rights-conscious society, while a better society is one whose members are duty-conscious. In the pre-Independence period, the equation was between Indians and foreign occupiers. At that time, rights-based action seemed to be a valid form of activism and, therefore, it naturally worked. But, in the postIndependence period, the equation was between Indians and Indians. Now it has become essential to change our strategy from being rights-based to being duty-based. But, in this regard, we have completely failed. No single movement has produced duty-conscious people. The Constitution of India was drafted by India’s best brains. When it first came into effect all its clauses were about rights: no single clause referred to duties. There is no use in blaming others. It is better to blame ourselves. Now is the time to launch a new struggle, under the banner of ‘intellectual crusades’. By intellectual crusades, I mean educational crusades, not in terms of formal education but in the sense of informal education. Formal education is not going to help us with this, because it is totally based on professionalism. Anyone who seeks formal education knows that this is the age of professionalism and that he or she should gain a professional degree to secure a place in the job market. The whole structuring of formal education is based on the concept of making oneself qualified in the professional market, rather than on making oneself a good member of society. To build a better society in