New Delhi: Asserting that the teachings of Swami Vivekananda be followed, Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav, on Friday, said it is unfortunate how the present condition of apathy in terms of false notions of nationalism and patriotism, which the youth is misled with, is a sheer misinterpretation.

“The notions of patriotism went much beyond any religion, caste, or creed for Swami Vivekanad. The idea of tolerance and ‘Bharat belonging to the Shudra or the last man’ was upheld by him. So, idolising him as the face of a single religion is incorrect,” he said while addressing the students at the Vivekananda Youth Summit 2018.

Each year in India, the National Youth Day is observed on January 12, the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. Mr Yadav was the chief guest of honour along with MLA Pankaj Pushkar and a few other dignitaries, and professors. The event’s beginning was marked by a documentary clip on the life and struggles of Swami Vivekanand as Narendra Dutta and his journey to become the representative of India and the ‘Hindu Dharma’ in the World Parliament of Religions, 1893, in Chicago.

A student of Ramlal College recited the entire speech, which Swami Vivekananda had delivered at the World Parliament of Religions. The focus of the speech was to reiterate the latter’s ideology in front of the youth today. The glorification of his ideas about the nation and oneness, which ‘Hindu dharma’ propagates, was central to the narration.

MLA Pankaj Pushkar’s address to the youth was an oration declaring the similarity in the issues that the youth faces today and the issues faced by Narendra Dutta.