Place where elderly are not respected is doomed to suffer: HM

A place where the elderly are not respected is doomed to suffer and "even God does not forgive" those who mete out harsh treatment to the aged, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said today as he regretted that old-age homes have to be created in India to rehabilitate the infirm.
The Home Minister said this during an event organised to honour and initiate projects to help the elderly, and added that a decent and educated society is expected to take care of its old people.
He also said that it was important for the country to emerge as a global teacher (vishwa guru) rather than aspiring to be a super power.

Revoking the teachings from the Ramayana, Singh said following one's principles like Lord Ram is a unique quality, which everyone should learn and imbibe.
Lord Ram kept his principles intact and even went for 14 years in exile to keep his father's word and respect, Singh said.
"A decent, educated and developed society is expected to take care of its old people. I do not know whom to hold guilty for the loss of life values in the society... Should we hold the education system responsible for it or something else...I don't know," he said.

He also urged youngsters and others to take inspiration from age-old Indian traditions and values, to not only help the old but also to make the country strong in this process.

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On price rise, the Union Home Minister said efforts were being made in that direction.
"There is no doubt some commodities whose prices need to be controlled. We have held a meeting on this issue the day before yesterday. Serious efforts are being made in that direction. Compared to price rise as it existed during UPA, this is much less but still we are making efforts to overcome the situation," he said.
On migration from Uttarakhand's hills for years due to lack of jobs, basic health and education facilities, he said he could understand the sensitivity of the issue as Uttarakhand is a border state and he will seek a report from the state government on it.

Listing the Centre's achievements during the past two years of BJP government, Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had done many charismatic things during the period which had not only made the country feel proudbut also added to its prestige in the international arena.
Singh also dismissed the questions raised by the Opposition parties on the Prime Minister's foreign visits saying he does not visit foreign countries to relax.
"Visiting five countries in six days, holding talks with a host of international leaders and inking important deals with them for the country bear testimony to the fact that he does not go abroad to relax," he said.

The Union Minister said the PM's diplomatic acumen has been praised even by the US administration which has termed it as the Modi doctrine.
"America has backed our inclusion in the Missile Technology Control Regime and you will soon hear that we aren't just making missiles but also exporting them to other countries. This is not a small achievement," he said.