Shah, Doval urge youth to put nation first

Doval called upon young people to commit themselves to national service, saying that India was still on its journey towards becoming a fully developed nation

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had forgiven young Indians and students who allegedly abused him and his mother during protests over exam paper leaks and irregularities, Union home minister Amit Shah and National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval on Saturday urged the country’s youth to dedicate themselves to nation-building.

Doval also said that India was fortunate to have the leadership of Modi and Shah, adding that both possessed the vision and commitment to make India a strong and developed nation. (HT)

Addressing a gathering after presenting the Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026 to Doval at a function organised by the Tilak Smarak Trust in Pune, Shah said, “I was presented with the Gujarati version of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s Gita Rahasya at the beginning of the programme. I appeal to all young people to read the Gita through Tilak Maharaj’s perspective. I can guarantee that if you do, you will not make mistakes in life.”

Doval called upon young people to commit themselves to national service, saying that India was still on its journey towards becoming a fully developed nation. “Today’s youth should dedicate themselves completely to the national interest. They should be willing to sacrifice personal interests whenever required and remain focused on strengthening the nation,” he said.

He urged the younger generation to reflect on Tilak’s vision for India and his contribution to nation-building.

“Young people today might assume that India has always been the way it is now, or they might mistake freedom for the mere liberty to do whatever one desires. But that is not what freedom truly means,” he said.

The remarks came amid the political fallout from the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)-led student protests, during which some demonstrators allegedly raised abusive slogans against Modi. In an Instagram video released on Friday night, the prime minister said he had forgiven the protesting students who allegedly abused him and urged young Indians not to let anger consume them.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, and other dignitaries also attended Saturday’s function, where Doval was conferred the award in recognition of his contribution to national security.

Describing Tilak as one of the foremost leaders of India’s freedom movement, Shah said Tilak fostered cultural nationalism by transforming public Ganesh Utsav and Shivaji Jayanti celebrations into platforms for social awakening and national consciousness.

Praising Doval’s contribution to India’s security architecture, Shah said he was the country’s longest-serving national security adviser. Recalling his association with Doval, the Union home minister said, “I came to know him after the Gujarat serial bomb blasts when I was the home minister of Gujarat and Narendra Modi was the chief minister. On Modi’s advice, I met Doval. His inputs not only helped us crack the Gujarat blast case but also several other similar cases across the country.”

Shah added that the Multi Agency Centre (MAC) has emerged as the backbone of India’s internal security under the Modi government and credited Doval with laying its foundation.

Doval said that India continues to face challenges from both internal and external forces. “Not everyone is happy with India’s growing strength and development. There are countries and forces, both within India and abroad, that believe India’s rise would be detrimental to their interests. Citizens must always give the highest priority to what is in the nation’s interest,” he said.