Youth in politics: A new political culture

 

 

Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan

Former Civil Servant, campaigner against corruption

I recently met some young Orkutters, from hundreds of communities dedicated to the ideals of our Lok Satta Party. These communities, a few among them also devoted to me personally, have become hotbeds for emerging trends in political thought amongst Indian youth. Their communication suggest that they favour a comprehensive and radical change in politics and the pressing need to combat corruption in our governance and politics. Many earnest, erudite youth have been advocating the need for a New Political Culture.

But, it seems, they are confining themselves to mere debates and discussions. There is a big demand for youth to take an active part in politics. Moving away of youth from politics will only aggravate the problem of criminalisation. Their greater participation will expedite the process of ushering in a New Political Culture.

In a sense, these are the best of times, since we have the means and technology to resolve people’s problems; but these are also the worst of times, since we do not have youth who want to enter public office with commitment and integrity and with a passion for public service. Large sections of people generalise that all politicians and officials are rotten and only they get into politics. Shunning politics and public office with such notions is, however, unwarranted and irrational. There are some very fine people in government, just as there are very fine people in all walks of life. Politics is perhaps the noblest of all endeavours because it is about reconciling limited resources with unlimited wants, and seemingly irreconcilable conflicts among various social groups, particularly in a very diverse and complex society. But unfortunately, politics has become the playfield of people who do not deserve to be there. Some are there because of their pedigree while many are there because of their money power or caste or muscle power. Strange circumstances catapult some others into high offices. Such leaders rule the roost not because the Indian people are stupid but because the problem is systemic.

In the past 25 or 30 years, we have created disincentives for the right kind of people, and huge incentives for the wrong kind of people, to enter politics. The conditions in India are so rotten that an eminent person like Dr Manmohan Singh, roundly defeated in the 1999 Lok Sabha elections, had to go to distant Assam to become a Member of the Rajya Sabha by a false declaration of residence. There are answers to most problems. Leadership is about identifying those answers, leveraging our strengths, and dramatically transforming the situation in the shortest possible time. The great changes in history all over the world had been wrought only when the middleclasses, particularly youth, the elite and the media joined hands, built appropriate platforms and launched concerted movements. Do not expect the masses to be at the forefront of historical changes.

Leadership is also about creating institutions, identifying solutions institutionally and finding those things that work in the circumstances in which we are placed. We are not doing too badly despite all these impediments. Very recently Lok Satta launched the unique Surajya (Good Governance) movement to spearhead a citizens’ movement. It is the right movement for the youth to take up, as it has aimed to free citizens of India from the chains of corruption. The Swaraj movement by Mahatma Gandhi sought freedom from colonial rule and the Surajya movement is to seek freedom from distorted rule. While Swaraj movement achieved its objectives through non-violence and non-cooperation, Surajya movement will be based on the power of the vote.

The Surajya movement is committed to wage a war to eliminate the pervasive and monumental corruption from our society and replacing the notoriously kleptocratic governance culture with a truly citizen-centric one. It is also committed to establish a political culture that is free from criminals and political dynasties. Ensuring equitable access to quality education, healthcare and employment opportunities for every citizen irrespective of anything; ensuring true devolution of power to local governments, and empowerment of citizens; ensuring access to speedy and affordable justice to all sections of society and restoring the rule of law, are a few of the objectives of the Surajya movement. There is a pressing need to build a credible, just, and equitable society that provides dignity, justice, and opportunities for all. We can achieve that goal and can do much more, if youth join hands with us.