The PM’s laudatory words for Gen Z at Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue came against the backdrop of a few opposition netas seeking to coopt them in their agitation against the Modi govt
NEW DELHI: Lauding India’s Gen Z, PM Narendra Modi on Monday said it is full of creativity as he emphasised that his govt’s reforms have opened countless opportunities for them in contrast with the stifling rules of the previous UPA govt that caught them in a web of compliances and curbed their entrepreneur spirit. Speaking at Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue to commemorate Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary, he said no country can develop without self-confidence and told the largely young audience that it is their responsibility to end the “slave mindset” that afflicted a generation of Indians due to the education policy of Thomas Macaulay. His laudatory words for Gen Z, which has ruled global headlines for a while largely due to a string of anti-govt protests it has spearheaded in different countries, including in neighbouring Bangladesh, have come against the backdrop of a few opposition leaders referring to their agitations outside and seeking to coopt them in their agitation against the PM Modi govt. The Rahul Gandhi-led Congress campaign against alleged “vote chori” reached out to the young generation in its bid to “save” democracy. PM Modi said that India’s youth with its innovative ideas, energy and purpose is at the forefront of nation-building. Ruing the “slavery mindset”, he said imported products were seen as a “guarantee” of quality, while Indian goods and traditions were looked at with an inferiority complex, urging the young generation to follow Vivekananda who was open to best practices from abroad but took on the misconception spread about India’s heritage. Turning to the rich legacy of Indian storytelling, including epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata, he suggested that the new crop of entrepreneurs in the gaming sector can develop mythological stories into games and take them global. “Our Hanuman ji can dominate gaming in the world,” he said, adding that it will export Indian culture in a modern way. He contrasted the opening of a string of sectors ranging from space to nuclear power and defence and easing of regulations and taxes ushered by his govt with the UPA era, which, he said, was accused of policy paralysis and its inability to implement things on ground. So many rules and restrictions existed at the time that youth had few choices, and even applying for a job or a loan from banks demanded a web of compliances, he added. He said, “As a CM and now as PM, I have put a lot of trust in the young generation, your capability and talent.” Sectors restricted to the govt have been opened to private players, PM Modi added. He praised their presentation on different themes and said, “It shows the mood of Gen Z in India. India’s Gen Z is full of creativity.” Noting the participation of a huge number of youngsters in the dialogue, he said the popular term of “think tank” can’t capture their immense size and deep research.
