Jaipur, Aug 2 (IANS) In a one-day Youth Parliament organised at the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, 168 students from 13 states and three union territories voiced their perspectives on key national and international issues, including terrorism, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), and the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

Kashmiri student Hadika passionately declared that PoK is an integral part of India and asserted that the time has come to reclaim it.

Jasmine from Bhiwadi added a nuanced perspective, stating that while taking back PoK is necessary, it is equally important to win the hearts of the Kashmiri people—without which, any military victory would remain incomplete.

Jaipur’s Pranay Gupta called for a firm stance against terrorism, while Diva Sharma from Gwalior raised serious concerns about the current security arrangements in Pahalgam.

Inaugurating the session, Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani delivered an inspiring message to the youth, underscoring the paramount importance of India’s sovereignty and national integrity.

He urged young minds to express dissent respectfully and uphold the decorum of democratic institutions. He encouraged students to read Ramcharitmanas, highlighting its valuable lessons in familial roles and social conduct.

Drawing from Indian epics, Devnani likened the Sanjay-Dhritarashtra episode in the Mahabharata to the first form of television and cited the Pushpak Viman as a symbol of ancient scientific vision.

He warned against the misuse of social media and stressed the importance of critical thinking and fact-checking.

“In a democracy, freedom of expression must be respected, but national interest requires self-regulation and discipline,” he said.

Students from classes 9 to 12 representing 55 schools from Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Chandigarh, and Delhi participated in the Youth Parliament.

With well-researched arguments and confident presentation, 56 students spoke on pressing issues such as cross-border terrorism and India’s claim over PoK.

The highlight of the event was the unanimous passing of a resolution to reclaim Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, introduced by Hadika from Kashmir, which received overwhelming support from the house.

Tanay Bhaven Parikh from Mumbai supported a diplomatic and economic boycott of Pakistan and its allies.

“Countries spending on weapons should not receive loans for food,” he argued.

He called for increased international pressure, including military options, to counter Pakistan’s global image rooted in extremism.

He emphasised that attacks like Parliament, Uri, Pulwama, and Pahalgam should not go unanswered and that India’s voice must also highlight the plight of oppressed Pakistani citizens on global platforms.

–IANS

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