Youth hold key to making ‘vibrant India': Kiren Rijiju

Agencies Guwahati, January 8 No one can prevent India from becoming a super power if the country’s youth inculcate positive attitude and channelise their energy towards a positive direction aimed at transforming the nation into a ‘vibrant India’, Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said on Thursday. Speaking at the inaugural function of the five-day 19th National Youth Festival, Rijiju also said no other country had so much cultural diversity as India. He also appealed to the participating youth to play a key role in putting an end to discrimination and hoped that they would realize during their five-day stay in Guwahati, that India was for everyone. “Nobody should feel that he or she belongs to a particular state or region. That is the essence of this national youth festival,” he said.Earlier, inaugurating the youth festival, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi said that while India’s strength lies in unity in diversity, the country’s future would be secure only when the youth were vibrancy, creative, energetic, imaginative and patriotic. “Only then will India grow stronger and stronger,” he said. Stating that the national youth festival had turned the Assam capital into a mini-India, the chief minister said that participation of youth from all over the country reflected the cultural variety and richness of India through their respective colourful dances and dresses. “I may be 80 years old. But I am feeling much younger in the company of youth from all over the country,” he said. Sarbananda Sonowal, union Minister of state (independent charge) for sports and youth affair, who chaired the inaugural function, said that with 65 per cent of the country’s total population below 35 years, India was the youngest among all nations. “The youth of the country should shoulder the responsibility of developing the nation by best utilising their creative talents,” he said. About 5000 delegates have taken part in the festival, being held for the first time in the Northeastern region.