By Roli S
It is election time and there is politics everywhere. What is politics? The behaviour connected with the governance of a nation or area. A very important term in this ever changing, ever emerging world. A world that is a cluster of big and small nations. For a person who has grown up in the world’s largest democracy, politics and politicians have always been a part of life. Politics voluntarily or involuntarily has always found itself becoming part of the conversation in almost all households. One can hate politics, one can love politics but one cannot ignore politics for long in India. It is the general understanding. Growing up, I noticed that politics and discussions in my house were only limited to a few individuals and governance of the nation called India was in their sole authority. Perhaps, then, the Great Man theory of leadership looked at people and individuals who often included aristocratic or privileged rulers, having achieved their position through birthright. Because people of a lesser social status had fewer opportunities to practice and achieve leadership roles, it contributed to the idea that leadership is an inherent ability. More than governance, ruling the nation was the norm in the past and the ‘Janta’ remained just ‘Janta’, who needed to be ruled and the real power of democracy was not actually understood or realised for a very long time.
We all know that, after independence, India had its first general election in 1951-52, which was won by the Indian National Congress, a political party regulated and controlled by few individuals who had the legacy of the ‘Freedom Movement’ behind them and went on to dominate subsequent elections until 1977, when a non- Congress government was formed for the first time at the Centre in independent India. The ‘Janta’ had probably woken up from slumber and had begun to understand the power of their votes! Despite the awakening, the word ‘Politics’ remained a dirty word and politicians and their intentions always remained under scrutiny by the commoner. I do not know why but the forward looking, well-educated youth from the top public/private schools and colleges of the country are still not actively involved and interested in politics. The derogatory remarks and memes doing the rounds in social media looking down upon the politicians and their conduct is not only the phenomenon of our country but is so all over the world. In India, especially, the field of politics is perceived as something that is not acceptable for the young, educated masses. The involvement of youth from the best educational institutions has been majorly informal and lacklustre. There is a need for a more dynamic and formal participation of educated youth in politics to realise the changes which are obligatory for the country’s progress. Politics has been a less preferred career for educated youngsters, due to uncontrolled corruption, nepotism, caste politics, and lack of accountability and openness. But not any longer. In the last decade, the country, under able leadership, has witnessed a turnaround in the way politics is treated in the country. We have seen a steady shift in the paradigm, where politicians have slowly but surely emerged as leaders in their respective areas of governance. Performance-based governance is on show and political meetings and gatherings have very slowly but very definitely begun to resemble corporate boardrooms. A non-political person like me, who was confused with the functioning of the governments and had lost all hope in politics and politicians, has begun to notice the changes in the political atmosphere. Now the hard work of our leaders is noticeable. Professionalism in the political scenario is on display. The credit for this change belongs to every leader who is in the arena, who strives to perform; who has great enthusiasm, great devotion, who spends himself/herself for a worthy cause, who knows in the end the triumph of high achievement. This change is very worthwhile. The change of being a leader and a manager, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the women as well as under-privileged people – their health, their housing, their education, their jobs, their skill development, their rights and their civil liberties-someone who believes we, an old civilisation and new Bharat, can break through the stalemate and suspicions that have always gripped politics and the image of the country, both, within and abroad.
I may be a little over-optimistic in my perception, but I am upbeat with hope for Bharat. To all the young and smart people of the country who are waiting to go abroad to design their future, I have an appeal to make – if you are still bored and disgusted with politics and do not want to take interest in it, it doesn’t mean that politics will not take interest in you. Bharat awaits your participation as much in politics as in all the other areas of economic and personal development.
(Roli S is an Educator and Author based in Thane)