Media Release
Mangaluru, Aug 15: “As long as we are divided, we are not truly independent”, said world renowned botanist and scientist Fr Dr Leo D’Souza.
He was addressing the staff and students of St Aloysius industrial training institute. Hoisting the national flag as the chief guest during the Independence Day celebration, the former director of the institution Fr Leo D’Souza said, “As we are celebrating 72nd Independence Day, we need to ask have we really got freedom? We still discriminate among ourselves on the basis of religion, caste, colour, sex, area, etc. In some parts of the country, people belonging to lower caste are not allowed to ride a horse or a motor cycle; women are subjected to sexual harassment every day; states are fighting with each other for water, communal riots are frequent. When our fellow human being is being oppressed, how can we say that we have got freedom? Unless we have a transformation of hearts towards love for the fellow being and unity, we can never say we are independent.
With the special mention to the students he said, “In this institution, each one is treated equal. All the students belonging to various religions sit together, learn together and grow together. Why is it then once we move out of the institution, we start identifying ourselves on the basis of religion or caste. We need to bring a change in the society. You might think, what a single person can do? Mahathma Gandhiji also started alone and played a pivotal role in getting freedom to our nation. Every individual can also bring about a change. In your community or work place, whenever, you see some efforts are being done to discriminate or divide on the basis of religion, caste, etc, oppose firmly and persuade the people towards unity. May one day our nation become truly united and independent,” he said.
Principal of the institution Vincent Mendonsa welcomed the gathering. Junior training officer Lolakshi rendered the vote of thanks. Gyaral Milton Lobo compered the programme. The programme concluded with the national anthem. Sweets were distributed to all.