Maharashtra govt panel on youth policy excludes young lawmakers Sule

    Mumbai, May 29 (PTI) NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule on Thursday claimed the Maharashtra government has excluded young legislators, opposition members and women representatives from a new committee set up to review the state's youth policy.
    Highlighting Maharashtra's tradition of giving representation to diverse voices in government-appointed committees, Sule in a post on her X handle said "unfortunately, this committee's composition appears to deviate from that inclusive tradition."

     "It is surprising that not a single young MLA has been included in the committee announced to review the state's youth policy. It is not as if there are no young MLAs in the assembly. Only legislators from the ruling alliance have been included, and not a single woman representative has been named," she claimed.

    Recalling her own efforts to push for a youth policy in Maharashtra, Sule said she launched public awareness campaigns from 2008 to 2011, which eventually led to the formulation of the state's first youth policy in 2012.
    "However, since 2014, successive governments have neglected this policy," she charged.

    She pointed out that the committee responsible for the 2012 policy had included Devendra Fadnavis, who was then a young MLA and is now the state's chief minister.
    "I would like to remind the chief minister that in 2012, you were given priority representation in the youth policy committee and you also chaired one of its sub-committees, making a valuable contribution," Sule stated.

    "Today, under your leadership, it is unfortunate that young MLAs are not being given a chance," she claimed.

    Calling for urgent changes, Sule said, "I strongly urge you to reconstitute this committee and ensure that young MLAs are given priority, with representation from all political parties."

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)