They are young and they dream big, but not only for themselves, but also the country. Unlike earlier, when working for the underprivileged or joining an NGO was the norm, these days it is the desire to do “something more” that’s gripping greenhorns. And this thought of doing “something for society” has motivated many to join politics. It’s now haute to join a political group.
Aman Panwar, a 22-year-old law student and a Youth Congress member, says, “The idea behind starting NGOs was to make sure that people get government aid and help. Youngsters joined NGOs to help the cause that they felt strongly about and this was their way of helping the nation. Now, with increasing literacy and awareness, we know that if we work with politicians, the loopholes in various sectors can be plugged and in the end the poor will be benefited. Therefore, the participation of youth in politics has increased. They want to get in touch with problems at the grassroot level and lend a helping hand.”
When Aman joined politics two years back, he just wanted to work for the poor. And there are many like him, who like to contribute to make society a better place to live in.
Vismay Basu, 28, a researcher and member of All India Students Association (AISA), says that youngsters have a great role to play in politics, especially in a developing nation. “I became a part of it as I wanted to work for farmers, who are endlessly toiling and still not given many privileges they deserve,” he says.
Seconds 30-year-old Deep Narayan Pandey, a researcher and a journalist, “To take India to new heights, it’s important for every sector to improve. I joined politics to bridge the gap.”
But Deep also adds that many are joining for the wrong reasons. He says that while many youngsters join politics to do something for the country, there are some who are swayed by the glamour that surrounds politics. “They come into politics to become famous,” he says.
However, Abdul Hafiz Gandhi, the national secretary of Youth Congress, says that the increasing number of youth participation in politics can be substantiated with statistics. He adds that most of these youngsters are dedicated. More than 7,60,000 youngsters participated in the recently held YC elections in Gujarat which shows how interested they are. “They are enthusiastic and ready to do anything for the country,” he says.