Give up obsession for settling down abroad: CM to youth

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Sunday urged youth to give up their 'obsession' to settle down abroad, forgetting their culture and religion and said they should stay back in India to serve the nation.

"It is unfortunate that the youth today want to settle in foreign countries by getting caught in the false idea of modernism and forgetting our culture and religion. They should give up this obsession, stay here and serve the country, he said. The Chief Minister was addressing school and college students at Kanteerava Stadium during the celebration of Hindu religious scholar and philosopher Swami Vivekananda's birth anniversary here. The Chief Minister said Indians settled abroad should treat their visit back home as a pilgrimage and have faith in religious beliefs.

He also appealed to the youth to follow Swami Vivekananda's path of sacrifice, service and nationalism. Recalling the hard times he went through during his school days, Yediyurappa said he used to sell vegetables and lemons to earn some money for his family. ...but today with the blessings of 6.5 crore people I am standing before you as a four-time chief minister. I grew to such a stature because I followed the footsteps of noble people, the Chief Minister said. Stating that there was nothing impossible in a democracy, Yediyurappa asked students to fulfill the dreams of their parents, get educated and run their families in a responsible manner. The Chief Minister launched the state government's laptop distribution programme on the occasion, to be given to one lakh undergraduate students. He also gave his nod to youth empowerment centres in all schools in the state.