Venkaiah urges students to respect traditions

Bhubaneswar: Former Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday denounced slogans against the Prime Minister and the Home Minister on the JNU campus and called those students “misled”. He said the slogan-shouting students should understand that the Prime Minister has been elected and should be respected.

“Hatred should not be a part of anybody’s life. Then giving slogans against the Prime Minister, against the Home Minister and against the country is not going to help those students. They are being misled,” Naidu said after attending a function here.

Replying to another question on Venezuela, Naidu said, “No country should interfere in the internal affairs of another country. The US has no business in other countries’ affairs, not only Venezuela but also other countries. The US has not done the correct thing.”

Addressing the valedictory ceremony of the 27th Foundation Day of Utkal University of Culture here, Naidu said culture truly flourishes when it engages with real human concerns such as social harmony, environmental sustainability, dignity of labour and inclusive growth. He said Odisha occupies a unique place in India’s civilisational narrative, where culture has always been regarded as a living force shaping collective life.

From rituals and customs to architecture, literature, music, dance and craftsmanship, culture in Odisha permeates everyday life, he said, adding, “It was fitting that the country’s first university dedicated exclusively to cultural studies was established in the State.”

Addressing the students, the former Vice-President said they were not only inheritors of a rich cultural legacy but also creators of its future. He urged them to respect tradition while embracing innovation, and stressed that education should empower them to question, create and serve society.

Observing that the present era is dominated by speed and technology, Naidu said institutions like Utkal University of Culture remind society that progress must remain rooted in identity, ethics and shared memory.