Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said that Congress Party always believed in unity and integrity of the country and had fought against the nefarious designs of certain elements that were out to pide the nation in the name of caste, creed, region and religion for gaining political mileage.Virbhadra Singh was presiding over closing function of three-day State Youth Congress Training Workshop at Rajiv Bhawan, here today. He said that the Congress leaders Mahatma Gandhi, Moti Lal Nehru, Maulana Azad, Sardar Patel, Lokmanya Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru instilled patriotism and motivated people of the Nation for attaining freedom.Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh came into existence on 15th April, 1948 just eight months after independence due to the concerted efforts of former Chief Minister Dr. Y.S. Parmar and blessings of first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. He said that former Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi bestowed the full statehood for Himachal Pradesh on 25th January, 1971 and became 18th State of the country. He said that Nehru-Gandhi family and all Prime Ministers had special affection towards hill State Himachal Pradesh and its people. He said that leaders of BJP, the then Jan Sangh had opposed the formation of Himachal Pradesh and then Statehood and now they were claiming to the biggest well wishers of the State. Virbhadra Singh exhorted the youth to study the history of country struggle and formation of Himachal Pradesh including economic, social and other policies of the country imbibe good values in themselves. He said that youth was the power, strength and future of the country and they should channelize their energy towards making State and country strong and vibrant.
Chief Minister said that Congress Party always encouraged the fresh blood since the times of Pandit Nehru and this tradition was strongly being carried forward by the youth leader Shri Rahul Gandhi. He said that now the youth participation in politics was channelized through various frontal organizations like NSUI, Youth Congress, Congress Sewa Dal etc. He asked the youth to work for strengthening of party at grass root level and associate new members to widen the party base.He said that as General Lok Sabha Election-2014 was drawing nearer and every Congress worker especially the youth should gear up for ensuring victory of Party candidates on all four Lok Sabha seats in the State. He said that Congress workers should go to the people to make them aware about development, schemes of UPA Government as well as State Government. He said that they should mingle with common man and work for their betterment.Shri Virbhadra Singh said that when he entered politics there were few roads, schools in the State and only few villages had electricity and potable water facility. He said that the State had made rapid progress in all spheres which was possible due to the progressive and pragmatic policies of successive Congress Governments who ruled the State for maximum time. It was noteworthy that in education, Himachal had become the first State in the country legging behind Kerala.
State Youth Congress President, Shri Vikramaditya Singh said that he did not believe in groupism and would work to strengthen the party with the cooperation of all office bearers and member’s. He thanked the office bearers and members of Youth Congress for participating in three-day training camp which would help in making them better Congress workers.He thanked Shri Rahul Gandhi for starting democratic set up within the Party especially the Youth Congress as this was the second Youth Congress Committee duly elected. He also thanked the Chief Minister for giving maximum representation to the youth in government bodies. Secretary, All India Youth Congress and Incharge Himachal Pradesh Youth Congress Dr. Uma Shankar Pandey said that Himachal Pradesh Youth Congress had topped the country in attending training workshop. He said that it was happy augury to note that there was no conflict and groups in Youth Congress even after recent held elections. MLAs Shri Bamber Thakur, Shri Sanjay Rattan, Ex MLAs Shri Lajja Ram, Vice Chairman, HPSIDC Shri Atul Sharma, Chairman, APMC, Shimla & Kinnaur Shri Mahender Stan, Office bearers and members of All India Youth Congress and State Youth Congress were present on the occasion.