During his interaction with the MLAs from Andhra Pradesh, President A P J Abdul Kalam took questions from 11 members belonging to different parties.
The President, who gave an hour-and-a-half-long address to the members touching upon an array of subjects, was amused at the way the legislators made brief speeches before putting forth their queries on various issues.
In contrast, he was stingy with words and kept his answers short.
He was literally taken aback by a question from lone Janata Party MLA Kommireddy Ramulu who asked whether he would 'award' the Bharat Ratna to (Congress chief) Sonia Gandhi for her 'supreme sacrifice of renouncing the prime minister's post'.
D Sridhar Babu (Congress): The President's views on the nation's pursuit of globalisation over the last decade
P Keshav (Telugu Desam Party): Should India get into an arms race by earmarking huge outlays for defence to the exclusion of other pressing sectors?
Nomula Narasimhaiah (CPI-M): Drew attention to the crisis faced by the state's peasants
Chada Venkat Reddy (CPI): Sought a remedy to the spate of suicides by farmers
Akbaruddin Owaisi (MIM): How the minorities can contribute to realising the goal of a developed nation
G Kishen Reddy (BJP): Sought a recipe to curb all-pervasive corruption
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J Krishna Rao (Independent): Sought his views on inter-linking Godavari and Krishna rivers to overcome the water problem in the state
Kalam maintained that globalisation afforded an opportunity to a developing country like India to leapfrog into the league of developed nations. Recalling that India has faced invasions for over 3,000 years right since the times of Alexander, he said the country needed to build up its defences since 'strength respects strength'.
The President is saddened by the suicides by farmers and said that they definitely need help. Agricultural operations have become uneconomical due to the small size of the landholdings. In the United States, only 2% of the population is engaged in farming while it is 70% in India.
He said the minorities would benefit greatly by improving their literacy and educational standards.
No amount of laws, he said, could curb corruption. "Only three people can do it: father, mother and teacher."
He assured the legislators that his 'government will work' towards enactment of the women's reservation Bill in Parliament.
He appreciated the idea for linking the Godavari and Krishna rivers.
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