Youth and Politics

Few days back, Nazariya screened a film The Black Pamphlets - a film based on Delhi University elections, at one of the nazariaya film club.I was supposed to lead the post film screening discussion. I was exited and curious to hear the young voices on main stream politics. I knew that there will be ignorance among students to join the politics but I was rather more disappointed. There were hardly 5-6 students who discuss about the topic among 30-40 approximately students present for the discussion. This was something i did not expect. I have been screening films on various subjects among the youth of Ahmedabad since 4 years but this was the first time I felt that youth were not at all interested ineven discussing this issue. I had a small conversation with the faculty in charge and a good friend, who was very happy with discussion but I was not. I did not tell her my feedback because I wanted to rethink about what was going in my mind. I thought a lot about the 'silence' among the youth and finally convinced my self to belive that this is what the youth of today think about the politics!!


They are simply disappointed from our politicians, our political systems and of course options available in main stream politics. The Indian youth is experiencing the disengagement from the national politics due to lack of an efficient political system in the country. Long back in India, it was a very different story altogether. India has given the world great young politicians from Bhagat Singh to Rajiv Gandhi. Infarct, during the independence struggle against the Britishers, The Quit India movement was led by the youth of our country. Eventually youth has lost interest in politics or may be politics has lost interest in youth! In 1985 the National Youth Day was declared on the birthday of Swami Vivekandanda who was a young spiritual leader who contributed immensely for the welfare of the society. Unfortunately today hardly any one has an idea about the existence of any such day. I kept asking one question to my self, does it mean that the youth is becoming wested in its interests. Values like patriotism and love for one’s country are going out of youth's mind? I guess not really. These same youth wear Indian Cricket Team T-shirts and on many occasion wear Indian Tri Color during Cricket Matches. Finding these youth on roads, dancing and enjoying when Indian Cricket Team register a big victory, is very common today. Even last year, after terrorist attack in Mumbai on 26/11, hundreds and thousand youth of every part of the country came on roads and protested against the political systems. Before that we witnessed some impetuous movements by the youth like the candle march in the Jessica Lall murder case, protests against reservations in educational institutions by the Government and the popular Pink Chaddi campaign against the tyrannical ways of Promod Muthalik. I feel that it is because corrupted and selfish politicians of today, the youth has become cynical and pessimistic in its attitude towards politics. The trust and credibility factor which was the one of the biggest positive point of the yesteryear politicians which is so difficult to find today. Also, Indian political system does not offer any incentives to the youth to engage in politics. Also, it is shameful that until and unless one belongs to a political family, he/she has to face immense resistance in this field to become a MP/MLA.

The existing political exposure at the university level is petty and driven by the selfish interests of national level political parties. Candidatures are selected not on the basis of capability but the closeness the candidate shares with the major political leaders. But unfortunately, Gujarat University students do not witness these elections also. There is stupid rule that toppers - the best students will vote for the University senate elections. These rankers are not even aware about the elections.Most of the time they are busy in studies to get the best rank! This is how Gujarat University has paralyzed student politics ruthlessly. Hence today, 'educated' youth who has several career options does not want to become a politician nor does any parent want his or her child to venture in this field.

But end of the day, this attitude and thinking of our youth will be very dangerous for the future of country. After all they will become the key decision makers of this nation. Running away from politics is not the solution. Even voting in election is not enough!! I strongly believe that the only solution to clean the national politics or to create main stream politics as a career option or in other way, to let youth join national politics, we have to introduce alternative platform to our youth. In Gujarat, we have only two major parties and they also dominate the student politics at university levels. Groups like Nazariya, Yuva, IESC, Volunteer Ahmedabad, Aman Samudaya and many more will have to think out of the box. These groups are providing platforms to youth for social change but according to me, social change also include changing our political systems. I may sound very idealistic and unpractical but at the same time I do not see any other option.

As I have decided to join national politics when i will be 35, we need more and more youth to come up and join politics. For that we must encourage and provide platform for more and more youth to get active in politics.
Gaurang Raval
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