Yuva Bhagidari Foundation launched virtually

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, September 18

The Yuva Bhagidari Foundation, founded by Jalandhar-origin youth icons, Gurmehar Kaur and Gautam Seth, was launched virtually on the occasion of International Day of Democracy here.

The virtual launch took place in the presence of M Hamid Ansari (former vice-president of India), Mani Shankar Aiyar (former Cabinet minister), Pranav Jha (Secretary, Communications, AICC), B Elias Shoniyin (former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Liberia) and Mohsina Kidwai (former Cabinet minister).

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Hamid Ansari highlighted how the problem of lack of participation of youth and women in active politics and the democratic decision-making process was not a legal problem as much as it was a social problem. He appealed to the youth of the country to draw inspiration from Swami Vivekananda’s idea of religious pluralism to ensure that the secular constitutional fabric of the country was maintained. That way all attempts to divide the country and its youth on communal lines would falter.

Speaking at the Inauguration ceremony, both Mani Shankar Aiyar and Pranav Jha spoke on the importance of more women and youth engaging proactively in the Panchayati Raj System and urged them to contest the gram sabha and urban local bodies elections.

Elias Shoniyin said how the rights of the youth and women had been the outcome of continued struggle and congratulated the Yuva Bhagidari Foundation for envisaging a foundation that would ensure their political and social empowerment.

The inaugural ceremony was presided over by Gautam Seth, founder, and Gurmehar Kaur, co-founder, respectively, of the foundation.