Ours is a society that is constantly transmogrifying,
where netizenship is the new citizenship,
data is the new oil,
quantum computing is a mainstream conversation,
and the actions of the state are perused far more than by an electron microscope.
However, one thing that is sempiternal is that the golden age of any nation is ascribed to those governing it whether it be Napoleon, Augustus, Charlemagne or Chandragupta Maurya.
It is an apodictic reality that the fate of a republic and the speed of progress of the Darwinian theory is in the hands of those who govern us. Economics and the law of demand and supply may set the terms in a free market, but determining what is a free market yet remains in the hands of those who across the world are seen as- more human than others- politicians.
The perception of politics and the optics that surround the field make it one which few trust and even fewer want to consider as a vocation.
It is often pretermitted that public service is the greatest service that one can render in a lifetime, lest we forget Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teressa or for that matter Mandela. Howbeit, power and money have enervated the pillars on which this profession stood- altruism and actionable goals.
It is therefore that- the delinquents, the not so cerebral and in general the less prolific have turned to this field, thereby putting the gargantuan responsibilities of the many in the hands of a venal few.
With a global median age of 29.8, the average age of parliamentarians is 53.
On further dissection,
one can find out that the average age in Finland is 42.6 whereas their Prime Minister Sanna Marin is 34,
the upper house in Bhutan has 9.1% members who are below the age of 30,
and a developing nation in Ecuador has the youngest parliament.
However, a handful of nations ensure the curve slips the other way- in which the notorious distinction of acing the list goes to the worlds youngest and largest democracy- India.
Despite 65% of the country’s citizenry below the age of 35, the only nation which has exacerbated the existing quandary of disproportionate representation is a nation whose first Lok Sabha average was 46.5. Today, we rank 172nd in terms of age appurtenant representation of its electorate viz a viz its elected bodies. The lower house has an average age of 54, the apex law makers i.e. Union Cabinet that of 60 and the grand old house the Rajya Sabha as its name suggests sits pretty at 63.43.
The nodus with these statistics is that had this been any other field- obligatory retirement would have necessitated you move on. It is only in politics, that 60 is the new 30. What is even more ironic is that the vote bank of every politician is young voters, and as much as they woo them during campaigning, no one involves them in excogitating their future and that of their compatriots. One of the most gregarious, erudite and venerable Prime Ministers of our country was 40 years and 72 days of age when he took charge After all- Rajiv Gandhi was in sync with what his people wanted.
But what is the advantage of having young people in charge- well remember Mozart, Von Neumann or Ramunanjan, ingenious ideas come from uncluttered minds.
Young people bring in young soch.
Lets analyze another- Mumbai, being an urban precinct of our country and the megalopolis which never sleeps has finally begun its metamorphosis.
Home to Indian Cinema and the Dalal Street, the city has an aspirational, vibrant, secular and democratic populace- a true reflection of our country.
However, apart from lip service little development took place in this city I call home.
“At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.”
For us to begin our tryst with destiny, and the city to awake to life and freedom, for its economy to become even more robust and for it be truly the international cosmopolitan capital it has the potential to become- 24x7 was a dream of a 20 year old that needed to become a reality.
Jawaharlal Nehru and Aaditya Thackeray may have ideologies that are contradicting, but the commonality was,
Young Soch always wins.
M.O.H Farookh seems to be an epoch ago and what seems to define our times is Sachin Pilot and Jyotiraditya Scindia having to ‘wait their turn’ which is more ludicrous than the twitter rants that some politicians embark on.
The meteoric rise of a Tejasvi in Bengaluru and his namesake in Bihar, Jamyang in Gangtok and Conrad Sangma in Meghalaya are propitious signs, but scarce.
This too comes with the brobdingnagian baggage of political lineage that these individuals carry and identity politics that they are compelled to brandish.
This is the age of a discerning populace, where parents are now being challenged by millennials on much more than their ideological belief.
And no, the country does not care about the Ayodhya adjudication,
no we do not think that religion gives you the right to exercise hegemony,
and no, we definitely do not subscribe to politics of odium, imprecation and fanaticism.
It is an egalitarian India, one which cares about jobs, development, healthcare and most importantly want younger elected representatives who listen more and talk less.
The world has taken notice of the perquisites of young people in governance-
Kyrgyzstan passed legislation to have at least 15% of the candidates in each election to be below 35,
Kenya reserves 12 seats for young people,
and,
even Peru has a 20% legislative quota for those under 30 in local, regional elections.
Reservation whether passed constitutionally or not does not matter. The age for standing for elections must be reduced and so also the age limit to vote. But more so- I think it is about time all major political parties in our nation for the sake of their own survival have a larger representation of young people as leaders and not merely as runners during electioneering. Legacy and nepotism may run strife in all fields including politics, and yes it will be hard for outsiders to enter- but we are all united in our primary task- preventing a 50 year old being referred to as a youth politician.
Young soch must and will win.
Yours Truly-
Neither an intellectual nor a Bhakt, just another young person voicing his thoughts
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