58th national conference of ABVP in Patna
Sanjeev Kumar
YOUTH have the potential to change the system. They have done it in the past and can do again,” said RSS Sarkaryavah Shri Bhaiyaji Joshi, while speaking at the concluding ceremony of ABVP’s 58th national conference in Patna on December 29. Shri Joshi also presented Prof. Yeshwantrao Kelkar Yuva Puraskar to Dr Prasad Vaman Deodhar of Maharashtra for his outstanding contribution in rural development. Dr Devdhar has contributed in development of biogas promoting the use of bio-agriculture. Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Shri Sushil Kumar Modi was also present on the occasion.
The national conference was organised at the premises of Jaiprabha Blood Bank, where a makeshift city was created after former RSS Sarsanghachalak KS Sudarshan. The main auditorium was named after Bal Apte Nagar. More than 3000 delegates from 28 states participated in the conference. Prior to the inauguration of the conference a grand procession was taken out in the city from Jaiprabha Blood Bank to historic Gandhi Grounds.
Shri Bhaiyaji Joshi further said the present economic policy is silently destroying the coutnry’s economy. The blind use of fertilisers, pesticides and hybrid seeds is not only adversely affecting the health of millions, but is also eating out the rural market economy, which depends on indigenous way of agriculture. He also expressed concern over the negligence of villages and focusing on urban areas only for development. He said without the concentration on village economy the country cannot register the desired growth. He said India will have to return to its villages.
Shri Sushil Modi also stressed the need that students’ organisations like the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad should work for initiating systemic change in the country. “It was students’ agitation of 1970s that saw the change in governments at the Centre and in states. Now the time has come that students’ organisations should work unitedly to fight against social evils such as illiteracy, female foeticide, sexual harassment of girls among others,” he said.
Receiving the Puraskar, Dr Devdhar said the lifestyle of people could be changed with the right and judicious use of science and technology. He added that it takes only 18 minutes for cooking food in developed countries while in urban India, the cooking time is one hour. “Cooking time in rural India is usually three to four hours,” he lamented.
The three-day conference began on December 27 with Shri JC Sharma, former secretary of Government of India, lighting the traditional lamp. He said, “Any country’s development is measured by its education system. India is pioneer in this field. But we have lost our position in education sector. Since the day Bakhtiyaar Khilaji burnt the Nalanda University, our education is degraded in the country.” He further added, “We had best education system. Students from 44 countries studied in Nalanda University. Even today, around 30,000 foreign students are studying across India.”
Shri Sharma described commercialisation of education on large-scale as a big threat to India and stressed the need that both the central and state governments should find a solution to this problem. “Without imparting free and high standard education to the economically deprived people, the country cannot make progress,” he added.
RSS Sahsarkaryavah Shri Suresh Soni said without understanding Swami Vivekananda it is wrong to think of balanced growth of the country. He called upon the youth to donate some of their time for society during this 150th birth anniversary of the great Indian saint. Sahsarkaryavah Shri Dattatreya Hosabale inaugurated a special session for former activists at the conference itself.
Earlier, speaking at the inaugural session ABVP new president Dr P Murli Manohar said the ABVP has its unit in all Universities of the country. He said the ABVP is the organisation, which is developing leadership not only for the political circle, but also for social, educational and many other fields. He described the organisation workers as internal soldiers of the country.
National general secretary Umesh Datt highlighted in details the activities of the Parishad. Stressing on the call of system change in the country, ABVP joint organising secretary Sunil Bansal said the country is still governed through the British era rules and this system cannot ensure development of the country. He cited the example of 1861 Police law. That is why the common man hesitates to approach the police even when there is need. Majority of the Governors are politicians and equally majority of the government officers are indulging in sycophancy so that they can get a profitable post after retirement. The large number of pending cases is enough to see the real condition of our judiciary. Justice delayed is nothing but injustice. He stressed more on the ‘right to vote’ than ‘right to reject’ and ‘right to recall’.
The Parishad called to organise demonstrations across the country on January 4 to demand justice for Delhi gang-rape victim who died on December 30. ABVP president P Murli Manohar and national secretary Shrihari Borikar said given the mounting dissatisfaction with the system, the ABVP has decided to organise debates in various parts of the country on reforms in election, administration, judiciary and education between January 26 and 31. The national conference adopted resolutions on educational reforms, corruption, recent communal riots in Assam and rape of the Delhi girl. The resolution also demanded capital punishment for Afzal Guru. Apart from it, the ABVP has decided to organise programmes in 15,000 colleges as a part of 150th birth anniversary celebration of Swami Vivekananda for the dissemination of teachings. The programmes would be held between January 15 and 25. A selected group of 1000 workers would tour the length and breadth of the nation as part of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Swami Vivekananda.
