VP Naidu asks media to shun coverage based on caste & community

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : The Vice President of India M  Venkaiah Naidu on April 30, 2019, expressed his concern over the increasing role of caste and money in public life and called upon media to shun giving prominence to coverage based on caste and community criteria, especially during elections.

Delivering the first Dr Rajaram Jaipuria Memorial Lecture on Education, Entrepreneurship and Ethics at the Convention Center named after Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar in New Delhi, Naidu wanted the people to choose their public representatives on the basis of four C’s – Character, Caliber, Capacity, and Conduct and said that unfortunately these four C’s were being subverted by some people by replacing them with four other C’s – Caste, Cash, Criminality and Community.

Naidu wondered the purpose behind media focusing on caste data in every constituency and wanted the media to focus on the public representatives past performance in legislatures and parliament in terms of the number of questions asked, matters of public importance raised, and their commitment towards peoples welfare rather than giving coverage to tactics like stalling the proceedings.

Naidu expressed his displeasure over diminishing values in public life and referred to increasing trend of changing party loyalties by politicians. He said that changing parties has become a fashion and politicians were making a mockery of democracy.

Naidu has urged educational institutions to focus on skill-literacy and said that India’s demographic advantage could turn into a demographic dividend only if there was focus on skill development and continuous upgradation of knowledge and skills. He said that it should be mandated for all private institutions to have dedicated skill development centres. He also wanted every technical institute to have an interface with the industry to give exposure to students about the requirements of employers.

Pointing out that India was a young nation compared to China, USA, Europe and Japan, the Vice President said that by ensuring skill development and imparting latest training in various vocations to the youth, India would be able to cater to the global requirements of the skilled workforce apart from meeting the demand within the country. He also observed that the time has come for India to re-establish itself as a knowledge and innovation hub. He suggested a complete overhaul of higher education system to cater to the fast changing requirements of the 21st century in different sectors.

Observing that India was the fastest growing economy in the world and set to become the third largest economy in 10-15 years, the Vice President wanted all nations to have an arrangement for exchange of economic information, particularly from tax heavens. He also wanted United Nations to play a key role in ensuring the extradition of economic fugitives in the countries where they are wanted.

Shishir Jaipuria, Chairman of Jaipuria Group of Educational Institutions, and S K Mohapatra, Director of Jaipuria Group of Educational Institutions were present on the occasion, according to a PIB release.