Indian media is providing wide coverage to youngest member of Manmohan's cabinet-Agatha Sangma. While media is quick to point out her age, nowhere can you find an analysis of her strengths, capabilities achievements etc. The only thing known about her is her lineage - she is daughter of veteran NCP leader P A Sangma.
I am genuinely confused about call to nation's youth for joining politics - be the change that you want to see in the nation. I believe that its a movement that is gaining strength. Many youth I know (if I can consider myself young!) are getting serious about politics. In general there seems to be realisation in today's youth that apathy is not going to work any more. We need to participate in the politics to get rid of our corrupt political class. I expect 'youth movement' to really change the face of Indian politics in next 10 years. A lot of credit for bringing youth factor in focus must be awarded to Rahul Gandhi.
While I admire Rahul for his perseverance in call to the youth of nation, I am also frustrated by 'dynastic' nature of participation of youth in Indian politics. Think of any young politician that you know. Nine out of ten times, you will find the young brigade to have strong political lineage. All torch bearers of youth politics in India are people like Sachin Pilot, Agatha Sangma, Kanimozhi, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jitin Prasad, Akhilesh Singh etc.
These are not the youth leaders who have come through ranks in Indian politics. They owe their existence in politics to their families. All of them are alumni of Ivy League schools, and many of them tried their hands at professions like investment banking before turning to family trade of politics.
This is what I am confused about. Its good to see the young of nation leading the polity of nation. But do these young leaders actually represent their constituents? Do they really understand the social, economic, political intricacies of India? Or are they just good looking ineffective politicians interested in furthering the cause of their friends and families?
I would love to know the answer to this. Do YOU have any clue?
U r right about the prasadas, pilots, scindias. But, we also have a Ms Natarajan (Congress, Madhya Pradesh) and some promising first timers from Trinamol Congress. Took the first few steps but have some distance to go !
ReplyDeleteTrue Ramesh, there are some young leaders who are making it to top without having a political lineage to boast of. Still most of young politicians (without political pedigree) will spend their entire youth trying to make a mark. By the time they would be in a position to influence the destiny of nation, they would not be young anymore!
ReplyDeleteI believe that these people from IVY LEAGUE will act as a role model for th e 'common' youth, and lead to enhanced participation. Also i have faith that Rahul Gandhi and others like him will not let this be a politics limited to family, but bring it to the masses
ReplyDeleteThis is not just politics. Every "business" in India is dynastic in nature. If dad is a doctor, his son joins the same clinic, a kirana store guy lets his son run the shop too. And I don't mind it being that way because the son/daughter would have grown up learning the ins and outs of the business, and will be more than ready to take over.
ReplyDeleteIf not for a papa who is in politics, it is extremely difficult for a young person to make his mark in politics as well as make a livelihood out of it at the same time. And assuming the papa politicians would have amassed enough wealth in his prime, the son/daughter with their fancy degrees can take over the actual issues instead of running behind money, yet again.
Come guys...don't tell me you are being serious out here.
ReplyDeleteOffcourse all this is a big marketing gimmick, its all PR and its all a part of carefully crafted election strategy--One of the Congress's move to strike differentiation w.r.t the relatively older(my god!) competitive set.
All the names that we mention are all "princes" who are made a win a staged battle to then subsequently take-over.
In a country with over 65% population less tha 35 years, it cannot be more unfortunate than the fact that this is NOT the reality and at the grass roots-its all money/contacts/power/influence.
Sorry folks - there is no Obama story in this one. India Shining ??
I guess its a fact, commonly accepted, that polictics in India (like many other professions) is dominated by dynastic crown princes.
ReplyDeleteBut debate seems to have moved on...like many other things we have resigned ourselves to the dynatic nature of polictics..NOW the Q is whether these crown princes (and princesses) are good enough?