Mr. Binay Kumar, Past President & Chairman, Business Practices Committee, PHDCCI said that focus on ethics should be given as much importance as other business issues by corporate India. He talked in detail about justice, equity and fairness as hallmark of good business.
Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India said that there was no legislature as far as ethics was concerned. The sad fact of life is that ethics and business have become two poles of life. The central dilemma of the corporate world is that it does not have a soul or body. He emphasized on the need of restructuring present education system by adding moral education, yoga and meditation.
Shri Subodh Bhargava, Chairman, VSNL explained with definition of ethics and what it means to corporate India. It has different value system for different stake holders, insiders and outsiders. There is no ethical ranking of corporate houses in India. He suggested having clear demarcation and understanding of what was right and wrong in the larger perspective.
The chief guest of the seminar Hon'ble Home Minister Shri Shivraj V Patil said that the authority to speak with command on the subject 'ethics' lies with Acharya Shri Mahapragya only. He extensively quoted from Gita, Mahabharata & Puran to elaborate the need of ethical values in the state. He said, according to Gita, 'Selfless service with focused mind gives birth to ethics'.
In his special address H H Acharya Shri Mahapragya enlightened the august gathering with thought provoking speech. According to him, money is useful in materialistic life but brings many problems unless used properly. Spiritual science provides solution to the problems of violence, fear, misery, temptation, exploitation etc. through ethical value. Human brain has three layers which control human behavior. He emphasized the need of controlling reptilian brain which is responsible for irrational behavior and this layer of the brain can be regulated with proper training of meditation.
He explained in detail use of scientific approach to revolutionist human behavior which money can not change. He urged to make education system in the country to provide 'balanced' development in all four fields-Physical development, Financial development, Moral & ethical development and Spiritual development.
He urged people to understand the root cause which makes a person unethical. He asked the business community to deal with 'Poverty and Hunger' as a social responsibility. His mentor and predecessor Acharya Shri Tulsi, who started 'Anuvrat movement', gave a basic idea in the field of economic thinking-parting with money along with earning of income through purity of means, which is very important to build an ethical society.
Smt. Sushma Berlia, chair person of Apeejay Foundation Society and vice president of PHDCCI offered hearty vote of thanks. Smt. Sunita Jain nicely conducted the programme.