Rural-urban divide too wide: Sule
indianexpress: “THERE is a need to narrow down the ever widening rural-urban divide in India which is the biggest challenge,” said Member of Parliament Supriya Sule during a lecture to delegates as part of the International Conference on Youth and Democracy in South Asia organised by Centre for Youth Development and Activities (CYDA) between August 11 and 15.
Sule also said that half of the MPs were below the age of 45 and most of them saw politics as a place to voice their concern and pursue their vision.
John Samuel of Action Aid International in his address said that the youth could make a difference from wherever they are and called for the removal of social disparity. Ujjwal Kumar Chaudhary, director, Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication (SIMC) said the role of media is crucial when democratic systems are in a crisis.
Around 120 delegates — comprising mostly youngsters from Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and India — are participating in the four-day conference and presenting papers on topics like ‘role of the youth in sustaining democracy’, ‘role of youth in shaping democracy’, ‘youth democracy and globalisation’, ‘democracy: farce or fact?’ Presentations are being chaired by professionals and academicians like Milind Bokil of Oxfam Australia, advocate Aseem Sarode, Dr S E Bhelkay and Laxmi Kumar.
