'Need to root it out': PM Modi slams dynastic politics on National Youth Day

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said dynastic politics is the "biggest enemy of democracy" and that it has to be rooted out completely as he addressed the valedictory function of the second National Youth Parliament Festival virtually.

"Dynasty politics is a challenge which has to be rooted out. The days of those who used to contest elections on the basis of their surname are numbered. But this disease is not completely destroyed yet," the Prime Minister said.

Urging youngsters to lead the country in future, he called politics a strong medium to bring about changes in India.

Prime Minister Modi called the National Youth Parliament Festival, which is observed on the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, an "important day," and urged youngsters to join politics "in large numbers." He also paid tributes to Swami Vivekananda and narrated various anecdotes related to him.

"It is an important day today as the National Youth Parliament Festival is being held at the Central Hall of Parliament, where the framing of our Constitution took place," PM Modi said, urging youngsters to realise the significance of where they were sitting.

The new National Education Policy (NEP), PM Modi said, aimed at holistic development of individuals. "The new National Education Policy is a step towards nation-building. We're building an ecosystem which will give better opportunities to our youth," he said.

The theme for National Youth Day 2021 was 'YUVAAH-Utsah Naye Bharat Ka.'

Since 1984, January 12 has been observed as National Youth Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda who was born on this day in 1863. Born as Narendranath Dutta, Vivekananda, who died at a very young age of 39 on July 4, 1902, had delivered an iconic speech at Parliament of the World's Religions at Chicago in 1893.