Patna, Feb. 24: A week-long national integration camp for members of Nehru Yuva Kendras started at Patna Youth Hostel yesterday. Around 150 youths from six states, including Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, Odisha and Bihar, are taking part. Art, culture and youth affairs minister Sukhda Pandey officially inaugurated the camp today.

Ajay Kumar Mishra, one of the organising members from Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, Patna, said: “The camp will also provide a platform for youths to know about relevant issues in the country from speakers. Women’s empowerment, exploitation of women, family planning, inflation, corruption, environment degradation, AIDS would be some of the issues. Youths would also present their views at the end of the session. Folk songs and dances from different states would also be performed in this camp,” said Mishra.

“Every participant would maintain a diary and everyday, they would teach their state language to the other participants,” added Mishra.

Today, eminent personalities, including Gandhi Sangrahalaya secretary Razi Ahmad, BJP MLA Vinod Narayan Jha, JD(U) MLA Girdhari Yadav and former director-general of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan Shakeel Ahmad Khan, spoke on various issues such as the role of youths in national integration, modern thinking and Nehru’s philosophy and background of the Indian freedom struggle.

Poonam Lohar (17) from Banarhat of Jalpaiguri district (Bengal) said: “I have come here to gain knowledge about other states. I am getting the chance to meet people from other states.”