New Delhi: The youth should join politics to change the system and fight corruption, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi said on Monday while exhorting the young to join the Indian Youth Congress (IYC).
Inaugurating a two-day national convention of newly-elected office-bearers of the IYC, the Congress MP said the Congress had opened its doors to the young.
"The only way to change the political system is to bring youth to politics. The Congress party has opened the doors for the youth to join politics," Gandhi told the gathering of 7,000 delegates at the specially set up IYC camp venue at the Japanese Park in Rohini in northwest Delhi. This the largest convention of IYC delegates since Gandhi took charge of the youth wing in 2007.
"The biggest corruption is in our political system, and if it is not changed then we cannot fight against corruption," Gandhi said in his 13-minute speech in Hindi amid cheers from delegates drawn from various parts of the country.
"You don't need to belong to a political family or know a political heavyweight to join IYC. Anyone can come and join the politics as there is a free and fair process," the 41-year-old son of party president Sonia Gandhi said, lauding the IYC's election process in which 10 million people participated.
"Youth Congress reflects voices that are democratically elected... I have not selected you, you are here on the basis of your own merit. India's youth must help usher in change," he added.
The two-day convention comes ahead of elections next year to the five assemblies of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa. It is the first national level function of the party after Sonia Gandhi underwent surgery abroad for an undisclosed illness in August.
Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh are likely to address the youth convention Tuesday.
Calling upon the youth wing to galvanise itself in the face of political challenges, Gandhi said: "Go to the poor, underprivileged and others. Reach out to them. Hold their hands and get to know their problems. Then fight for them. Only if poor people get good quality of life, can the country progress."
Describing the Youth Congress cadres as the "sepoys of the Congress", he said the IYC has to work with the parent party as it had "experience, knowledge and depth".
"Congress' experience with the youth power of the Youth Congress can change India," he declared to applause from supporters.
While Minister of State for Home Jitendra Singh attended the inaugural session in the morning, Home Minister P Chidambaram also addressed the gathering later in the day.
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