VP Naidu urges media to shun coverage based on caste and community criteria

New Delhi [India], Apr 30 (ANI): Expressing concern over the increasing role of caste and money in public life, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday called upon media to shun giving prominence to coverage based on caste and community criteria, especially during elections.
Delivering the First Dr Rajaram Jaipuria Memorial Lecture on Education, Entrepreneurship and Ethics at the Convention Center named after Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar here, the Vice President wanted the people to choose their public representatives on the basis of four C’s – Character, Calibre, Capacity and Conduct.
He said that the four C’s, unfortunately, was being subverted by some people by replacing them with four other C’s – Caste, Cash, Criminality and Community.
Naidu wondered the purpose behind media focusing on caste data in every constituency and wanted the media to focus on the past performance of the public representatives in legislatures and parliament in terms of the number of questions asked, matters raised on public importance and their commitment towards the welfare of the people rather than giving coverage to tactics like stalling the proceedings.
The Vice President expressed his displeasure over diminishing values in public life and referred to the increasing trend of changing party loyalties by politicians. He said that changing parties has become a fashion and politicians were making a mockery of democracy.
Naidu urged educational institutions to focus on skill-literacy and said that India’s demographic advantage could turn into a demographic dividend only if there was a focus on skill development and continuous upgradation of knowledge and skills.
He said that it should be mandated for all private institutions to have dedicated skill development centres.
Naidu further said that he wanted every technical institute to have an interface with the industry to give exposure to students about the requirements of the employers. (ANI)