NDTV Yuva Conclave: Union Minister Anurag Thakur slams Opposition, talks about 'youth power'

New Delhi, March 28 (IANS) Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting (I&B) and Youth Affairs & Sports, Anurag Thakur, attending the NDTV Yuva Conclave on Thursday, slammed the Opposition for 'negative politics' and also spoke on a host of issues ranging from youth's contribution to the nation's growth to the mushrooming of start-up ecosystem, with active support from Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government. 

NDTV Yuva Conclave was organised to bring together India's biggest 'youth disruptors' from various fields including politics, cinema, music, comedy under one roof, with focus on how the youth can bring change.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur, the chief guest at the event, said that Yuva stands for "positive energy, inspiration, passion, motivation".

"Youth are so committed that in 10 years, the country has become the third-biggest startup (hub)," Anurag Thakur said at the NDTV Yuva Conclave.

Hitting out at political rivals including Arvind Kejriwal and Rahul Gandhi for their "baseless claims" on misuse of central agencies, he said that some people have a habit of lying.

"There are 6.40 crore new registrations under the EPFO. There are 29 crore e-shram cards. We have given out 34 crore Mudra loans without any collateral. If you look at data, in 2013, during Congress' reign, the inflation rate was 13 per cent. Today it is less than 5 per cent," he said while blasting the Opposition for their 'naysayers approach'.

Lauding the role of the country's youth in India's emergence as an Asian powerhouse, he said: "A start-up ecosystem is being made in smaller cities. If the country's yuva was not stopped for years, some yuva would have made a bigger company like Google Maps."

The Minister also had a piece of advice for youth in picking their representatives in the upcoming elections.

"This person (Kejriwal) is misleading the country. Stay away from him. He had vouched he won't come in politics, but he did. The one who said will fight against corruption, now he is seen involved in corruption. Now, 'Kattar Beiman' Arvind Kejriwal is in jail," he said, taking a sharp jibe at the AAP convenor.