New Delhi, Feb 11 (UNI) Delhi Legislative Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Wednesday interacted with nearly 200 tribal youth participants under the 17th Tribal Youth Exchange Programme at the Assembly complex here.
The programme, organised by MY Bharat Kendra, South-West Delhi, in coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs, was attended by senior officials of MY Bharat and 36 District Youth Officers accompanying the delegation.
Addressing the participants, Gupta said, “When young citizens engage with the living institutions of democracy, they do not merely learn history they become part of the nation’s continuing constitutional journey.”
The interaction brought together tribal youth from Bastar, Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur and Mohla–Manpur in Chhattisgarh; West Singhbhum in Jharkhand; Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh; Kandhamal and Kalahandi in Odisha; and Gadchiroli in Maharashtra.
The delegation included 36 District Youth Officers and officials associated with the programme.
Gupta acknowledged the efforts of the Youth Officers who had cleared the UPSC examination but could not make it to the final list, noting that public service remains a dignified avenue for committed young citizens.
Emphasising the role of youth in the vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’, the Speaker said national development must be anchored in constitutional awareness, social cohesion and informed participation.
He expressed confidence that exposure to democratic institutions would inspire the participants to contribute meaningfully to governance and community leadership in their regions.
The participants were given a guided tour of the Assembly and briefed on its historical legacy and evolution as a constitutional institution.
A documentary film on Vithalbhai Patel, titled “Vithalbhai Ki Gaurav Gatha”, was screened on the occasion, highlighting his role in strengthening legislative independence.
Gupta also informed the gathering about a commemorative coffee table book, “Shatabdi-Yatra: Veer Vithalbhai Patel”, published by the Delhi Legislative Assembly to document its institutional and historical legacy.
During the interaction, the Speaker placed the Assembly in its historical and constitutional context, recalling developments following the Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909 and the shifting of the national capital from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911.
He said the Assembly complex is not merely a heritage structure but a functioning institution where democratic deliberations continue to shape public life.
Gupta also referred to Mahatma Gandhi’s visit during debates on the Rowlatt Act and the strengthening of parliamentary traditions under Vithalbhai Patel, the first Indian elected President of the Central Legislative Assembly.
He noted that procedural standards laid during that period continue to influence India’s parliamentary democracy.
The interaction underscored the importance of structured engagement between youth and constitutional institutions in strengthening democratic values and national integration.
