BENGALURU: Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said challenges and obstacles are an inevitable part of a leader’s journey. “A leader faces obstacles at every step. From my school days to becoming a legislator and eventually chief minister, I have faced several challenges. Young people must come forward to become leaders. More importantly, a leader must create new leaders,” Shivakumar said.
He was speaking after inaugurating the International Day of Democracy celebrations in Bengaluru. He said the government has decided to encourage disciplined elections in colleges to give young people practical exposure to democratic processes. “We don’t know who among them may emerge as a future leader.
Therefore, every young person must get an opportunity to participate, express themselves and develop leadership qualities,” he said. Schools and colleges would also be encouraged to conduct Model Parliament programmes to help students understand democratic institutions and public life. He said democracy can remain strong only when the younger generation understands and actively participates in the democratic system.
Shivakumar said the way a government treats its citizens is a key measure of the strength of democracy. “If people are afraid of the government, it is authoritarianism. When the government respects its people, that is democracy. Our elders have shown us the path of equal dignity and equal participation for all,” he said.
The CM said safeguarding the voting rights of citizens was central to protecting democracy. “Ambedkar emphasised the importance of the right to vote. We must ensure that no citizen loses this fundamental democratic right,” he said.
Referring to the ongoing debate over electoral roll revision, he said efforts were being made to ensure that eligible citizens were not left out of the electoral process. Arrangements were being made to help around 47 lakh people obtain permanent residence and income certificates required for their inclusion in electoral rolls.
Further, Shivakumar said protecting social justice and reservation has been an important part of the Congress party’s political legacy. “We must protect the voting rights of citizens and retain their trust. We don’t want to hurt any section of society,” he said.
“We plan to distribute 10 to 15 lakh sites to the poor. Land reforms and programmes that gave land to cultivators brought major social change. Such programmes were introduced by the party that led the country’s freedom struggle,” he said.
HARIPRASAD SAYS UMAR KHALID NATIONALIST, BJP HITS BACK
KPCC president BK Hariprasad said Umar Khalid is a nationalist and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has no right to speak about him. “Umar Khalid is a nationalist, and the ABVP has no moral right to speak about him. ABVP adores Nathuram Godse, an anti-national and the first terrorist in the country,” Hariprasad told media persons in Bengaluru. The opposition BJP in Karnataka hit out at the Congress leader for terming Umar a nationalist.
“I thought Hariprasad was only a political opponent, but I did not know that he was anti-national. It is not only surprising, but also shocking that a person who raised anti-India slogans is being called a nationalist by Congress and Hariprasad,” BJP MLC CT Ravi said. NLSIU students postponed screening of a documentary on Umar Khalid after ABVP submitted a formal complaint to the NLSIU administration demanding to stop the event. The ABVP has demanded that the screening of the documentary not be allowed.