Consider jobless minority: Ex-Governor Gurbachan Jagat

Chandigarh, November 7

Panjab University, under the aegis of the National Commission for Minorities, organised a seminar-cum-interactive session on the theme “Youth and Nation Building: The Role of Minorities” today. The panellists included Iqbal Singh Lalpura, Chairperson, National Commission for Minorities, Gurbachan Jagat, former Governor of Manipur, Satyapal Jain, Additional Solicitor General of India, Manmohan Singh, former IPS officer, and Prof Rumina Sethi, DUI, PU. Prof Simrit Kahlon, DSW (W) was the event coordinator.

Job creation not govt’s duty

The uneducated and unemployed are actually the ones to be considered minority… the govt is not responsible for creating jobs, but the pvt sector. Gurbachan Jagat, former Governor

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The speakers shared their views on the role of minorities in the development of the country. Gurbachan Jagat said, “The uneducated and unemployed are actually the ones to be considered the minority. Also, the government is not responsible for creating jobs rather it is the private sector. Today, even the majority is not self-sufficient, which clearly indicates the plight of minorities in our country.”

Jain laid emphasis on the fact that “mutual co-existence must become a part of our value system and one must be confident enough to express one’s viewpoint. We are not intellectuals if we shy away from stating what is right and what is wrong”.

Lalpura said, “We can progress only if we prioritise country over religion. Social media is breaking us apart rather than building a united nation.” Manmohan Singh said there was a need to admit that the Indian society was not monolithic and the Constitution allowed for coexistence. “We need to evaluate and recognise the role of women in nation-building,” he added. In the end, the panellists answered questions raised by school and university students.