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Rahul urges educated youth to join politics
A DATE WITH STEPHEN’S: Ex-Stephanian Rahul Gandhi at his alma mater in Delhi on Tuesday.
NEW DELHI: Addressing students at his alma mater, St. Stephen’s, here on Tuesday, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi urged the country’s “educated youth” to join mainstream politics.
During an hour-long interaction with the students, the young Member of Parliament from Amethi regretted “the absence of democracy and transparency in the country’s political parties”.
He said that with more youngsters joining politics, a much-needed change in the country’s political system could be ushered in.
Mr. Gandhi, who had been invited to the college to speak on higher education and the spirit of inquisitiveness, also chose to clarify his recent comment about his own years as a student at St. Stephen’s. His comment that the college did not encourage students to ask questions had created a furore with the alumni and students protesting vehemently. Mr. Gandhi did not favour any role for politicians in running educational institutions and emphasised the need for “independence” of the teaching community and in framing policies for higher education. “He was very warm and affable. Whenever any students addressed him as ‘Sir’, he immediately asked them to call him Rahul. He shared his views on higher education and said we should always be able to question each other because in doing so we get answers,” said St. Stephen’s alumni association secretary Arvind Malhotra.
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