Anurag Pandey, (right) Vikash Kumar.
Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar would
have faced a number of tricky questions as a politician but few would
have answered him as wittily as Patna youth Anurag Pandey did recently,
at an international meet in New Delhi.
On learning that he is a mass
communications student, Pandey said, Parrikar reportedly told him that
half the media people “showcase inaccurate things”.
Pandey, a second-year scholar at Sharda
University, National Capital Region, was, however, prompt with an
answer: “Many politicians are dishonest, but you are honest. The entire
system cannot be blamed just because of a few people. Similarly, just
because there are a few wrong people in the media does not mean that the
entire media is wrong.”
The exchange took place at the six-day
International Youth Forum for Policy, Change and Development, organised
by non-government organisation Alexis Society, started in New Delhi on
June 24.
Pandey, accompanied by Vikash Kumar, a
first- year BTech (mechanical) student at Sri Krishna Institute of
Technology, Bangalore, represented India at the meet, where Parrikar, an
IIT-ian, was a guest.
Pandey told that
keeping in mind Parrikar’s promise to provide Internet facility to all
students in his state, he asked the Goa chief minister: “You have done a
lot for the development of your state. But why don’t you press for a
bill to be passed in Parliament to ensure that persons convicted of
crimes or corruption cannot take stand for elections?”
In response, Pandey quoted Parrikar as
saying: “No bill of Parliament can remove the ills of society. Values
are inculcated in people at their homes and schools.”
Apart from Parrikar, members of Parliament
Shashi Tharoor and Anurag Singh Thakur attended the event, which
focussed on all aspects related to social entrepreneurship, education,
child rights, sports and policy-making. The event came out with a global
action plan, which would be implemented by the delegates to bring about
positive changes in society.
Inaugurating the event, Pandey said Tharoor asked youngsters to bring about changes in society.
Pandey asked him: “Instead of asking us to
do something, why don’t you — who is already in power — implement an
effective police to bring about changes in society? After all, youths
will take five to seven years to come to power.”
In response, Tharoor reportedly said: “We are trying to improve the society but a lot depends on the youth.”
Thakur — the youngest MP — said: “Every small initiative can bring about a significant change.”
Vikash, too, had a few uncomfortable
questions. “I was surprised by the achievements Mr Tharoor spoke about.
He said more than 700 million cellphones are used in the country.
According to him, this is development. But I would like to inform him
that 80 per cent of India’s population does not have basic amenities
like toilets,” he said.
Besides matching with national
politicians, Vikash took part in cultural events and a multi-cultural
fashion show. “I promoted the culture of Bihar by putting on a kurta
and dhoti, and also performed bhangra. I wanted to convey that in India,
there is unity in diversity.”
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