Power of democracy gave ordinary person like me chance to become CM: Fadnavis at youth event

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday asserted that India's democratic framework and its youth empowered individuals like him to ascend to the state's top position, despite never imagining such a rise.

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It isn't easy; our Constitution has given democracy in this country. The beauty of this democracy is that someone like Devendra Fadnavis, who might never even have imagined becoming a corporator, reached the post of chief minister, or the boy who sold tea at a railway station in Gujarat became the country's Prime Minister.

Speaking at the "Manthan 4 Yuva" event for Gen Z in Nagpur, Fadnavis recounted his political journey, inspired by ideas and marked by daily movements and struggles. He credited public faith for his progression from potentially never becoming a municipal corporator to Maharashtra's chief minister. He also drew parallels to the Prime Minister's journey from selling tea to leading the nation, attributing both to the strength of Indian democracy and the Constitution.

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It is the power of India's Constitution, the strength of India's democracy, and that is the strength of the country's youth, he said.

Fadnavis also detailed his early activism, including spending 18 days in jail at age 20 during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. He recalled witnessing the impact of speeches and rhetoric, enduring arrests and beatings, and being present during the demolition of the Babri Masjid structure in 1992, an event he expressed pride in.

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I went to Prayagraj from there I went toward Ayodhya. That was one of the first times I saw how speeches and rhetoric work. We were fired on, beaten with sticks, and arrested. At 20, I spent 18 days in the central jail at Badaun. I returned and then went back to the movement. And when the Babri Masjid structure was demolished in 1992, I was there. I am very proud of that.

Addressing the youth, Fadnavis assured government support for the startup ecosystem, mentioning policies, funds, and incubation centers, with a plan to decentralize these resources. He promised comprehensive assistance for any young person with an idea in a tier-3 city aiming to develop a commercial product. He also acknowledged the need to discuss reducing screen time for children, while noting the economic opportunities created by content creation.

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Any child from a tier-3 city who has an idea and wants to transform it into a commercial product will get full help and 100 per cent support.