The Politics of Youth

It’s the young who are hogging the headlines across the world. As a 29 year old Edward Snowden plays 'catch me if you can' with Uncle Sam and Turkish youngsters take to bathing in the streets under water cannons, not to forget Yousafzai Malala who has shot into world headlines, no thanks to that bullet shot through her head, there is no denying that the world is waking up to a new generation of leaders, ideologies and convictions. On can feel those tremors in India as well, but in a slightly different way. Mulayam Singh during UP assembly elections realized the importance of fielding his son as the CM candidate and promising free laptops to students instead of pressure cookers. So did Vijay Goel of BJP, who decided to take on Delhi University and force it into reducing cut-offs for Delhities, poor guy couldn't succeed but perhaps the real success will be determined in the elections scheduled later this year. This is what elucidates the difference in the ways the young are affecting political dynamics in India and the rest of the world. In India, the youth has become the latest vote machine which political granddads are trying to coax and please using freebies like laptops and 'Aakash tablets'(hey has anyone got one?) but eventually buy them before election time in order to extend their political heydays. While, people like Malala and Snowden

Unfulfilled promises made to these anxious villagers during his visits ensured Congress a huge defeat in the 2012 UP elections

When is the last time we've heard from him?

are shaking world politics, the picture in India isn't as well. Sachin Pilot will always be doomed to remain a toothless state minister and Varun Gandhi will continue to remain underground. The real intelligent, energetic and innovative youth is being desperately blocked from entering the political scene. As economists across the world tout India to be the next superpower, thanks to its 'demographic dividend'[What is that?], this dividend will remain underutilized and India will lose out on this once in a millennium opportunity to become the world leader if this state of affairs continues.

So how detrimental is this difference between 'being bought' and 'making people buy' for India?

Perhaps huge. India needs its young voices to play a decisive role in its political and economic landscape, and this cliché has facts backing it. India nearly has 40% of its population between the age of 13 and 35 as per the ILO [check ILO website]. In fact, a report by the same organization back in 2010 stated that India's median age is just 25.5! So, if 40% of the country's population is youth, are 40% of our representatives in the assemblies and parliaments young? Is it just for people who have crossed their 60s and belong to a completely different generation to represent the generation whose ideas, views and needs are completely different? Don’t these fresh and innovative ideas deserve representation and a proper hearing, with India being a democratic country.Moreover, India needs innovation, not just in business but in its politics and economics. India's current problems are not oblivious to anyone. Falling investment, slowing growth, rising inflation, falling Rupee, unemployment, a skewed skill set distribution, falling quality of education, unplanned urban planning and mind-blogging corruption in socialist schemes are only to name a few. While advertisements of 'Bharat Nirman' will try to lure the common man into a false satisfaction in the name of metro trains and flyovers, people shouldn't forget the mass farmer suicides that continue to plague the nation.

A flailing India needs young leaders who can feel the pulse of the nation, who can give people a vision and in whom people can trust. Leaders who can embrace secularism and inclusiveness while disposing away divisive politics along the lines of language, religion and caste. Do the people know what they need? Yes they do. So are our experienced leaders oblivious of this fact? They obviously aren't, and what have they done to solve problem? Political oldies have realized that their times are over, but they just don't want to let go their power and position. So what then is the solution? How do these political granddads ensure that while they stay in power, people don't turn restless and voters vote them out of favor for lack of young people? 

Seasoned politicians possess acumen that is supernormal. Half of them haven't even graduated, but their skill of convincing people can even dwarf pass outs of premier business schools. Their solution is in front of us. Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav. Varun Gandhi, Agatha Sangma etc etc. Haven't they changed the face of India, our superheroes, youth icons, role models and what not? These granddads have only brought in young faces, not young people. These so called youth "leaders" are mere puppets, apparent in the lack of vision and more importantly lack of impact on the political scenario. ,

A database on the political background of the 2009 Lok Sabha MPs below the age of 40


This database with information from the Election Commission and various sources clearly tells as to how the so called 'young generation' in the political fora is nothing but a political eyewash. These people will but continue the corrupt legacies of their relatives, and have nether contributed nor will contribute significantly to the growth of the nation. There are hardly any candidates who have made it to the parliament or even state assemblies on their leadership abilities, social service, ground knowledge or academic prowess. Instead what is apparent is the influence of political family background in getting tickets and eventually winning elections.

India needs a revolution.  A revolution that will spark the entry of new educated, intelligent and visionary minds into politics and perhaps this revolution has already begun. New political organisations like the Aam Aadmi Party, the Loksatta party are trying to bring in fresh and clean blood into politics. Various NGOs and media initiatives like the Lead India initiative by TOI are trying to attract the youth into the social service sector. Undoubtedly a majority of today's youth has realized the importance of being politically active, if not being directly involved, thanks to such initiatives and this awareness is growing by the day. This awareness was also visible when students took to the streets following the Delhi rape case, which speaks volumes of the facts that the youth is out of its slumber and is ready to engage productively for the greater good of the society.All we need is this social activity to mature into active political activity. The power of the youth needs to be unleashed, for a smarter politics, a healthy economy and a productive society, the sooner the better.