Lucknow, Jan 12 (IANS): The Samajwadi Party launched its youth connect campaign in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday to mark the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

During the campaign called 'Yuva Ghera', party leaders and workers will hold discussions with the youth on issues like education becoming costlier, unemployment, closing factories, retrenchment and job losses.

The Yuva Ghera is a youth connect campaign, which means that Samajwadi Party leaders and workers will engage youth in discussions and dialogue by sitting with them in a ring.

Last week, the party had engaged farmers in a similar Kisan Ghera programme that was held in rural areas. The Yuva Ghera is being held in both rural and urban areas of all districts of the state. The Yuva Ghera is also being held in schools and colleges.

Samajwadi Party spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said, "According to instructions by party president Akhilesh Yadav, the party's leaders and workers will hold discussions with youths on their issues - education becoming costlier, unemployment, police implicating them in cases, lack of investments, closing of factories, retrenchment, job losses, problems and anomalies in online education and the neglect of students of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes."

Chaudhary said that the party will also discuss youth welfare programmes and schemes that the previous Samajwadi Party government implemented, such as free laptops to students.

He said that Swami Vivekananda, a youth icon, was not just a spiritual leader. He used to connect it with social issues as well and in his nationalism there was an element and spirit of sacrifice and service towards deprived sections. He emphasised tolerance and universal acceptance which constitute the essence of democracy.