Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, posting on X, said emotional issues are being politically misused and real issues are being diverted.
On Friday, which is National Youth Day, and commemorates Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary, Mr. Gandhi said people would do well to remember Swami ji’s wisdom. He regarded the energy of the youth as the basis of a prosperous country.
“The youth need to think about the identity of the India of our dreams. Quality of life or emotions? Youth raising provocative slogans or employed youth? Love or hate? Today, emotional issues are being misused politically by diverting attention from real issues, which is a betrayal of the people,” he said in a post.
Unbearable burden
He said the government celebrates the present era as ‘Amrit Kaal’, while the youth and the poor can barely manage to secure an education, earn a living and secure medical assistance as unemployment and inflation add an unbearable burden.
“The emperor, intoxicated on the arrogance of power, is far detached from ground reality. That is why, to keep the flame of justice burning in this storm of injustice, crores of young ‘nyay yodhas‘ are joining me in this struggle, taking inspiration from Swami Vivekananda. Truth will prevail, justice will prevail!” Mr Gandhi said.
He also addressed the national executive meeting of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and urged IYC workers to fight injustice. IYC national president Srinivas BV was present as Mr Gandhi launched an initiative called ‘Rozgaar Do, Nyay Do’ (Provide employment, and justice).
He met representatives of civil society organizations and people’s movements ahead of the January 14 launch of the 6,700 km Manipur-to-Mumbai Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
The meeting, organised by a grouping of civil society organisations called Bharat Jodo Abhiyaan, was attended by activists who raised issues pertaining to justice that affect various groups including Dalits, Adivasis, OBCs, women, unemployed youth and unorganised workers.
Mr. Gandhi urged activists to use the Yatra as a platform and asserted that a partnership between activists, political parties, voluntary organisations, movements and individuals is critical to tackle the “injustices inflicted by the BJP and the RSS”.
Congress general secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal and senior leader Digvijaya Singh also interacted with the activists.
The party released the theme song of the Bharat Jodo Yatra on various social media platforms with the tagline, Saho Mat, Daro Mat (Don’t suffer, don’t be scared).
Meanwhile, Congress’s Manipur president Keisham Meghachandra said that Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will be flagged off from a private ground in Manipur’s Thoubal district instead of the capital Imphal because the State government had imposed conditions on use of Imphal’s Palace Ground, the original venue.
