Varanasi: BJP national president Nitin Nabin on Thursday said politics should not divide the country’s youth, asserting that young people should be identified by their ideas, abilities and aspirations rather than categorised as “alpha, beta and gamma”.Interacting with young people at Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith on the second day of his Varanasi visit, Nabin said: “When we were young, nobody used to divide us into alpha, beta and gamma.” He said the identities of India’s youth should be defined by their ideas, abilities and aspirations.He said no outsider should be allowed to take away the rights and opportunities of the country’s youth. “People from Bihar should be given priority when it comes to opportunities in Bihar, and those from Uttar Pradesh should be prioritised for opportunities in UP,” he said.Nabin said Uttar Pradesh was changing and development projects were creating new employment opportunities for the youth.He also called upon young people to play a decisive role in realising Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India by 2047.Nabin began the day by offering prayers at Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple. He later met prominent personalities over Banarasi jalebi and kachori at a hotel before attending the interaction with Gen-Z students.Addressing the gathering, Nabin said India’s youth are the carriers of change and must be heard by families, society and public representatives.He said new opportunities have opened up under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership in startups, information technology, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, medical education and infrastructure.Nabin added that India could not become a developed nation earlier because the country did not collectively dream on a national scale.He said Prime Minister Modi created NITI Aayog to think beyond five-year plans and prepare India for the next 50 years.Referring to the mantra of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas”, Nabin said India is moving firmly towards becoming a developed nation.Speaking about youth aspirations, he said young people gave unprecedented support to Narendra Modi in 2014 and today are choosing their own career paths with the support of their families. He said BJP leaders are engaging directly with young people across the country to understand their concerns and aspirations.Nabin said IT hubs should be developed in every state and district, including Noida, Lucknow and Kashi in Uttar Pradesh. He said the government’s focus on IT, AI and semiconductors has created new employment avenues, adding that suggestions for developing Kashi as an IT hub would be conveyed to the government.He said the word “startup” was rarely heard before 2014, but today more than 2.5 lakh successful startups are operating in India. These startups, he said, have become job creators, with government support available through online portals and funding mechanisms. He added that India’s youth will not merely seek jobs but will create employment opportunities.Nabin said Banaras is also being developed as a textile hub. Referring to the recent international AI summit, he said India is set to emerge as a major AI hub. He added that a nation that does not take pride in its history cannot have a bright future.Highlighting development in Uttar Pradesh, Nabin said tourism has grown because the law-and-order atmosphere has improved. He said Uttar Pradesh was once known for mafia, but is now known for expressways. He also said the state has become a centre for the BrahMos missile in the defence sector, with 40% employment going to local youth.On medical education, Nabin said admissions were once opaque, but Prime Minister Modi brought colleges under NEET to ensure transparency. He said earlier only 5,000 medical seats were added annually, while today 1.5 lakh students get admission every year. He said the government acted swiftly in paper leak cases, punished the guilty and conducted re-examinations within a month to protect the future of meritorious students.He said the New Education Policy will not only provide degrees but also create employment opportunities. Describing India’s manpower as its greatest strength, he said Skill India has expanded opportunities in sectors such as hotel management and mass communication.Nabin said India is investing more than Rs 8 lakh crore in infrastructure and building 35–40 km of roads every day. He said India’s global image has transformed, with the Prime Minister now standing in the front row at international platforms. He cited the evacuation of Indians during the Russia-Ukraine war as an example of the strength of the Tricolour.He said that in 2013, he was questioned in the US about corruption scams in India, but in the past 12 years even the Opposition has not been able to level a single corruption charge against the Modi government. He added that 36 countries have honoured Prime Minister Modi with their highest civilian awards.Referring to border infrastructure, Nabin said that during a visit to Tawang in 2012, he saw 300 km of unpaved roads on the Indian side because the then government feared that paved roads might help China enter India.He said that after 2014, four-lane roads and airbases have been built there, reflecting a new India that can look the enemy in the eye.Nabin also attacked Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and the Opposition, saying BJP workers remain among people 24×7 while the Opposition becomes active only during elections. He said the same Election Commission conducted elections in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where the Opposition accepted the results, but Rahul Gandhi is now questioning the institution due to fear of defeat.He accused the Leader of the Opposition of working to protect infiltrators. Nabin said India’s resources, wealth and land belong to Indians, and the BJP will strongly oppose any attempt to give rights to infiltrators at the cost of Indian citizens.He urged young people to avoid shortcuts and remain committed to long-term goals. He said opportunities must be available to people from every state, while everyone must remember that they are Indians first.Speaking on women’s empowerment, Nabin said women have received 50% reservation in local bodies and will soon receive 33% reservation in Parliament and state assemblies under the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.Uttar Pradesh BJP president Pankaj Chaudhary said today’s youth are playing a crucial role in shaping the direction and future of the country. Referring to Mahatma Gandhi’s thought, he said the change one wishes to see in society must begin with oneself. He said Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has internalised the spirit of “Nagrik Devo Bhava”.
