The Congress has objected to the Maharashtra government’s order asking junior colleges across the State to hold ‘Yuva Sansad’ elocution competitions, accusing it of attempting to influence young minds.
The government on July 24 asked 9,700 junior colleges to conduct elocution competitions where students will speak on the Central government’s various welfare schemes — like the Jan Dhan Yojana, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Ujjwala Scheme, and Ayushman Bharat Scheme — and authorised the district education officer to supervise such events.
According to the resolution, the competition is an attempt to empower the youth. It aims to create awareness among students in the age group of 15 to 19 years about generating new ideas, seeking suggestions on the implementation of government schemes and getting to know their expectations.
However, the State Congress’s campaign committee chief Nana Patole said the topics for debate have nothing to do with the educational curriculum of students. “The scheme has been conceptualised to influence the young minds with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s agenda. The students are being roped in for its poll campaign,” he alleged.
The Opposition will protest against “politicisation of education” if the decision to conduct the Yuva Sansad events is not revoked, he said.
