Youth Akali Dal President and Punjab Cabinet Minister Bikram Singh Majithia today launched an anti drug awareness initiative of Students Organization of India (SOI) here at Panjab University campus. Meanwhile, SOI also got a big boost with 14 top leaders from Punjab University Students Union (PUSU) and SOPU including Simran Dhillon, Yadwinder Dhaliwal, Vicky Middukhera and Robin Brar joining the student organization in the presence of Majithia.Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Majithia said that the youth of the country was the crucial backbone for its future development and progress and our country was fortunate to have 40 percent population in 13-35 years’ age group. The proportion of working age population between 15 and 59 years is increasing, with 63.5 million being added likely to this group between 2011 and 2016. He said that the energy, determination and aspirations of youth must be channelized to address the problems and challenges that our nation was facing.
Welcoming PUSU and SOPU leaders in SOI, he said that the role of students’ in politics was very important as the democracy could only strengthened by overwhelming response of public in election process. He said that students with new ideas and will to do something challenging can rearrange the political priorities of the country to meet future challenges. He expressed confidence that students with sound educational background could proved to be an asset for any political set up to realize the dreams of their countrymen. He said that SAD has always accorded top priority to youth and gave significant representation not only in local bodies or Panchayat elections but also in Parliament or Vidhan Sabha elections. Besides this, youth working in Youth Akali Dal were also graduating to SAD and were being given important party positions to serve the people.
Interacting with media persons, Mr. Majithia informed that Punjab has launched a crusade against smuggling of narcotics to save the young generation from falling prey to drug addiction. Punjab being on a transit route of drug trafficking has always suffered as Union government agencies have been miserably failed in checking the flow of drugs across border. He said that Punjab police has almost broken the back of smugglers and even unearthed the multi-thousand crore synthetic drug racket by making huge recoveries from states like Himachal Pradesh and Maharshtra. He called upon the youth to be proactive in building our society but without forgetting our heritage and tradition of tolerance, mutual respect and an inclusive approach in achieving our developmental goals.
Earlier, Gurpreet Singh Raju Khanna, National President SOI, Vice President Mr. Amit Rathi, PU Unit President Mr. Gurdit Dhillon, Chairman Manvir Bhangu, Sarabjit Jhinger and Sony Gharuan gave a warm welcome to Mr. Majithia. Prominent amongst others who joined SOI today included Simran Dhillon, Yadwinder Dhaliwal, Dildeep Hundal, Navreet Singh, Jajwinder Sidhu, Satwant Singh and Simranjeet Kang (all PUSU leaders), Vicky Middukhera, Robin Brar Bhagsar, Rashpal Hakkuwal, Arshnoor Dhillon, Deep Sidhu, Prabhjeet Singh and Sunny Multani (all SOPU leaders).
Reno#wned folk singer of Pak Punjab Arif Lohar regaled students on the occasion.