Press Information Bureau

The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu today said that India wants to have peaceful relations will all its neighbors, including Pakistan. He was interacting with a group of girl students from Jammu and Kashmir who are on a tour to Delhi and Agra, at the Uparashtrapati Niwas in New Delhi today. He commended the Indian Army for facilitating the tour.

 

Expressing his admiration for the natural beauty of Kashmir, the Vice President praised the friendly people, the sublime spiritual traditions, exquisite cuisine and vibrant culture of the region.

 

The Vice President said that it was necessary for students to travel across the country to see the diversity of our great country and appreciate the thread of cultural and emotional unity that lies underneath this diversity. He added that traveling would also help students understand the challenges faced by the country and visualize solutions to these problems.

 

Highlighting the cultural richness and diversity of Kashmir, Shri Naidu said that it was the composite culture based on the values of humanism and tolerance which was collectively known as ‘Kashmiriyat’.

 

Observing that the development of the state of Kashmir had suffered a setback due to constant cross-border militancy and terrorism, the Vice President stated that the abrogation of Article 370 was the need of the hour and would put the state on a rapid growth trajectory. "Recent changes in the structure of the state are intended to extend all the benefits which other Indians have been enjoying all this while", he said.

 

Terming terrorism as the enemy of humanity and a constant roadblock in the path to progress, the Vice President observed that where tension prevailed, no attention could be paid to development.

 

Saying that India was moving very fast on all fronts, the Vice President said that students, must make full use of emerging opportunities to learn new things and make their own contribution to their state’s and nation’s development.

 

Expressing concern over rising instances of discrimination based on caste, class and gender, the Vice President called for relentless efforts to ensure equal opportunities to all.

 

Highlighting Kashmir's long tradition of literary excellence the Vice President said that the many languages of India must be preserved, protected and promoted.

 

Asking students to be well versed in their mother tongues, the Vice President spoke of the need for primary education to be in mother tongue.

 

Shri Naidu also urged students to take up social movements like Swachch Bharat, Fit India, Poshan Abhiyan, eliminating single plastic use and programmes like Skill India, and Start Up India and make efforts to transform them into mass movements.

 

He encouraged the students to learn about India, its history, geography and culture. He asked them to be conscious of their duties along with their rights as citizens. "You must strive for excellence in all spheres of life, develop scientific temper and adhere to the eternal values India has stood for", he told them.

 

The following is the full text of the speech:

 

प्रिय युवा विद्यार्थियों,

सम्मानित शिक्षकगण

भारतीय सेना के अधिकारीगण

 

मित्रों,

उपराष्ट्रपति निवास में आपका हार्दिक स्वागत है। शिक्षकों और विद्यार्थियों का संसर्ग सदैव शुभ होता है।आपने हमें आपका स्वागत करने का यह अवसर दिया, आपको धन्यवाद।

I commend Indian Army for arranging this visit of young students from Jammu and Kashmir. I am sure that your visit to Delhi would be a memorable one.

J&K is the crown of India. Entire region is blessed by Nature with snow capped mountains, lush green valleys and pristine streams. It is a region with the most friendly people, a sublime spiritual tradition, exquisite cuisine, colourful costumes and vibrant culture including soulful music and rhythmic dances.

Young Friends,

India is a vast country with so much of variety. When you travel across the country, you get know the richness of each region, each state. You get to see the diversity of our great country and appreciate the thread of cultural and emotional unity underneath this diversity. That is why Prime Minister has laid emphasis on tourism and has suggested that each of us should  visit at least 15 new tourist spots by 2022.

My dear Young Friends,

Jammu and Kashmir region has a rich tradition of composite culture. This composite culture provides the foundation on which Kashmiri art forms and folk tradition has flourished. This composite culture based on the values of humanism and tolerance which is collectively known as Kashmiriyat

Recent changes in the structure of the state are intended to extend all the benefits which other Indians have been enjoying all this while.

I am confident that the state will make rapid progress and be able to focus on development and people’s welfare much more than earlier in the coming months and years.

Dear young friends,

Today our country is moving very fast on all fronts. There are new opportunities opening up. As students, you should make full use of these emerging opportunities to learn new things and make your contribution to your state’s and nation’s development.

We are reforming our education system to make it more focused on innovation, skill development and suitable for the learning needs of the 21^st century children.

We would like it to be rooted in the rich Indian ethos drawing the best from the mosaic of cultures that finds expression in different artistic and linguistic forms in different states.

There are five things I would like you to remember. We should  love our mother, motherland,  mother tongue, native place and our teacher.

Friends,

Kashmir has a long tradition of literary excellence. It is remarkable to note that the earliest poets wrote in Sanskrit. We are all proud that Kashmir has produced path breaking works of Charaka and the yoga sutras of Patanjali. We have great poets like Muhammad Tahir Ghani and Pandit Taba Ram Turki who wrote in Persian. We should remember that the earliest poets who wrote in Kashmiri were women: Lalla Devi and Habba Khatun. Like all other states in India, Kashmir has made its outstanding contribution to India’s grand cultural tradition.

We should be aware of these ancient riches. We should be forward looking. We should seize the opportunities that open up. We should aim to be the best in the world. We must create a new India together. How do we do that? By working hard, studying well and making a mark in whatever we do.

The government is offering a number of new opportunities to access knowledge, sharpen your skill sets and acquire the competence required for today’s world. There are a number of social movements like Swachch Bharat, Fit India, Poshan Abhiyan, eliminating single plastic use and programmes like Skill India, and Start Up India in which you can take part and benefit.

Friends,

You are the future of India. When I talk to friends like you, I feel confident that the future of our country is bright.

मित्रों,

इस देश के नागरिक के रूप में आपको संवैधानिक अधिकार प्राप्त है, लेकिन आपके कर्तव्य ही आपके अधिकारों का स्रोत हैं।

I want you to learn about our country and its history, geography and culture. Be conscious of your duties as well as your rights as a citizen. As young citizen of India, you are expected to promote the composite culture of India, protect environment and make ours a better world.  You must strive for excellence in all spheres of life, develop scientific temper and adhere to the eternal values India has stood for.

All the very best.

मैं आप के उज्ज्वल भविष्य की कामना करता हूं और आपके सुखद और शिक्षापूर्ण दिल्ली प्रवास की अपेक्षा करता हूं।

 

**********

VRRK/MS/MSY/RK

(Release ID: 1597201) Visitor Counter : 503