Why should the Government be blamed for opening liquor outlets and enticing youth to consume alcohol, when it has also constructed libraries in almost every nook and corner of Tamil Nadu, wondered Gobinath, a television personality.
Addressing thousands of school and college students here on Sunday, he said that youngsters were bound to face pressure to consume liquor and drugs from social networking sites, friends, elders and, sometimes, even family members.
Responsibility
However, the youth must learn to say ‘no’ as they had a huge responsibility to their parents. Youngsters should not be spectators anymore but contribute to society, he said. He was addressing HEP 2013 organised here by VGM Hospital and all the Rotary Clubs of Coimbatore in alliance with the World Hepatitis Alliance to mark the World Hepatitis Day, observed annually on July 28.
Noting that, unfortunately, liquor and drug consumption had become a sort of fashion statement among youngsters, he said that a majority of road traffic accidents were due to driving under the influence of liquor.
Mr. Gobinath said that India was among the few countries to have a huge population of youngsters. As such, they were going to drive the economic growth and should not waste their time and energy on unnecessary habits.
‘Say no to liquor’
Responding to a question from S. Sujata, a student from a Government school here, he said that it was up to the youngsters to develop the discipline to say no to liquor rather than blame others for their habits.
To another question from a college student, Mr. Gobinath said that schools also had some responsibility to protect students when they were at an impressionable age.
