The Young Leaders!

Posted on December 30, 2013
Location: London
The Young Leaders!

As soon as we hit the age 18, we are lawfully empowered to drive car, to drink alcohol, to vote, to marry and we are also given a suitable status of “ADULTHOOD”. All these mean that we can now be considered responsible; biologically at least.

Over a period of ten years or more, Rahul Gandhi has been touring the length and breadth of the country, going to remote areas and freely mingling with the rural people, in a determined proposition to awaken the youth to get involved in nation-building endeavours. His father late Rajiv Gandhi, took the bold initiative of amending the constitution to lower the voting age to 18, in a bid to bring about the quality of representation, in the functioning of the governments and also in the character of democracy itself.

The reality has, sadly, been to the opposite. From elementary research available, the turnout of young voters in the recent elections is found to be as low as 20-25 per cent (as against an average national turnout percentage of 60% for all categories of voters).

Youth participation merely means joining politics. An equally import role need to be played by the young voters as the politician or political parties. Once power is bestowed on a party to form the government, responsibility of voters must start in parallel….to analyse the performance, to question, to demand clarification and to alter political arrangements carefully, if one which trusted did not work.

It is not significant that AAP has done well in the recent election. It will be significant when AAP is made to clarify its position on the promises it has made, 1 year down the line, 2 years down the line and 5 years down the line. Who will ask for these clarifications?  Previous generation did not come out of the inferiority complexion; due to lack of education, poverty and lack of options.

Today, every third person in an Indian city is a youth. In about seven years, the median individual in India will be 29 years, very likely a city-dweller, making it the youngest country in the world. India is set to experience a dynamic transformation as the population burden of the past turns into a demographic dividend. With the West, Japan and even China aging, this demographic potential offers India and its growing economy an unprecedented edge. NOW; the youth leadership across the country, irrespective of their political affiliation, has to put the country, its development and its pride above their individualism.

How boss; how? Simple. Curious case of Arvind Kejriwal suggests that the man has turned around the table in just 18 months time…of course with some touching ideas and appointing the power of WWW (internet)! We have internet groups / email groups to coordinate runners club, football club, to discuss movies, to organize holidays, to organize vacations, to organize outing, to organize marathon… we have plenty of those… now it is time for us to have virtual discussion groups within our circle of contacts…to discuss national-building endeavours, to stop crime in our own community, to stop rape in our own community, to make ourselves available with short-notice within our community, to engage with other groups/communities, to encourage others to form groups, to collate, to engage, to lead and to progress…for a better India...for us...for our next generation.  Change indeed begins with small things! We don't need to be all politicians...we are better of sitting as opposition for life long...that is far more important, right now!

Goodnight! Please take very good care of yourself...

Bikash MohantyBikash Mohanty"Welcome to my website!
I am grateful for your visit. Please enjoy my writings and reach out to me, with your feedback."

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