I became a confirmed socialist. For a time, I came under the powerful influence of the writings of M. N. Roy. During imprisonment, I read widely and benefited by discussions with some of the foremost thinkers and intellectuals who were taking a leading part in the freedom struggle. As years went by, I became firmly convinced that unless economic and social relations in the society are changed, freedom will be meaningless. The ideas of social justice, equality and freedom from exploitation became a matter of conviction and a passion with me. The teaching of Gandhiji that good means are as important as good ends further contributed to the shaping of my thoughts. I was attracted by the philosophy that one cannot build for a stable social order free from exploitation by bringing in the social and economic changes through violent means. Over the years, denial of individual liberty and regimentation of thought in the communist states also made me a firm believer in the democratic form of life. That was the time when I came under the spell of the forceful personality of Jawaharlal Nehru. As I heard him, read his writings and thought about the concept of democratic socialism, the conviction grew on me that only a political philosophy which combined democracy and socialism could meet the challenges thrown up by the rapid development of science and technology as also by the appalling backwardness of the countries that had thrown off the yoke of foreign domination after the end of the second world war. My firm commitment to the cause of socialism is thus a product of thinking and reading over a period of last two decades. My active association with the political life of the country during this period added a new dimension to my views on socialism. My thoughts have been moulded and shaped by the writings and works of Marx and Lenin, M. N. Roy, Bertrand Russel, Gandhiji and Jawaharlal Nehru. But my living faith in socialism arises from the poverty and misery of millions of our countrymen in rural India amongst whom I was born and brought up and whom only a socialist order can liberate.
Over the last two decades since independence, a great deal has been done to lay the foundations of a self-reliant growth. It will be wrong to say that nothing has been achieved at all. But a stage has reached when we will have to undertake purposeful and considered programmes and policies which would provide real equality of opportunity in economic and social life to the people. It will be meaningless to talk of social injustice unless every individual is given equal opportunity to rise in life, develop his full personality and to contribute to the well-being of the society. With this purpose in view, I would emphasise the programme of providing maximum educational facilities for the children. They will be able to take their rightful place in society only if they are given the necessary education to equip themselves for the responsibilities of the new world.
