Pranab cautions against not meeting youth aspirations

After expressing doubts about tickle down theories, President Pranab Mukherjee today cautioned against rage manifesting itself if progress fell behind rising aspirations of the youth.

After expressing doubts about tickle down theories, President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday cautioned against rage manifesting itself if progress fell behind rising aspirations of the youth.

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In his maiden address to the nation on the eve of Independence Day, he also called for making Indian economy a launching pad for a second freedom struggle to eradicate hunger, disease and poverty.

"If progress falls behind rising aspirations, particularly of the young, rage will manifest itself. We are a nation that is becoming younger both in age and spirit this is an opportunity as well as a challenge," he said.

In the speech in Parliament after his election last month, Mukherjee had talked of poverty and hunger and said trickle-down theories do not address the legitimate aspirations of the poor.

"We must lift those at the bottom so that poverty is erased from the dictionary of modern India," he had said.

In Tuesday's address, Mukherjee said the young thirst for knowledge that will lift their skills and for opportunity that will put India on the fast track to the first world.

"They have the character they need the chance. Education is the seed and economy is the fruit. Provide good education disease, hunger and poverty will recede.

"As I said in my acceptance speech, our motto must be: All for knowledge and knowledge for all. Vision cannot be an open-ended vista it must be focused on our youth," the President said.