Stating that there was frustration and disillusionment among the youth against the systems world over, Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi today stressed the need for compassion to deal with them and harness their strength.
On the ongoing row over alleged anti-national sloganeering in Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, he said truth will prevail in the case, which has now reached the court.
"(I) strongly see the frustration and disillusionment among the youth against the systems," Satyarthi said during an event here.
"There was also growing intolerance and violence among the youth. This is not only in India, but happening globally. They (youth) are full of idealism and the youth are looking for better alternatives. Their strength is not harnessed and channelised.
"There is a lack of compassion to deal with the youth. For this, I am planning to launch a special programme targeting the youth," Satyarthi, who shared the Nobel peace prize with Pakistan's Malala Yousafzai in 2014, said.
Asked for his views on the JNU row on the sidelines of the event, he said, "Truth will prevail in the JNU incident. But, I will not say anything more as the matter is sub-judice."
He said the central government should make more budgetary allocation for fighting issues relating to child labour and trafficking.
"The Parliament will meet soon for the Budget Session. I will request the government to invest more in children by allocating more funds," Satyarthi said at the event organised by Press Club Kolkata.
"Less than four per cent of the budget is earmarked for education, health and protection combined. This is a serious question," he said.
"41 per cent people in the country are below the age of 18. We can talk of demographic dividend. When it comes to investing in them, it is dismal," Satyarthi, who has been working on child labour for long, said, adding that India's economy was growing while others' were slowing down.
"Under such circumstances, I urge the government to spare adequate resources," he said.
Stating that existing laws on child labour are archaic and obsolete, he demanded an amendment in legislation and stressed on the need for more progressive laws.
The Nobel winner said India had been on the forefront on sustainable development goals of the UN and abolition of child labour, slavery and protection of children as envisaged in the SDG needs to be translated here also.
"Economic growth cannot be built on misery and slavery," Satyarthi said.
