If there is a retirement age there must be a reason for it. Otherwise it should be abolished by law. And if there’s a retirement age for every job holder then why not for politicians especially of they reached the age of senility? The human mind has a capacity beyond which it cannot function with the same agility it did at age 40 or 50. The politics of the 21st century requires not just physical strength but cerebral health above all. People in politics serve a larger idea than just a constituency. They are to engage on a range of issues affecting the state, the nation and the world. They have to keep abreast of the latest developments in the digital age. A person who is not computer literate cannot cope with the constant flow of information. The reason why many politicians in Meghalaya have neither a Facebook Account or a Twitter handle is because they are technologically disabled. Having someone else to manage a Facebook account or Twitter handle is fraught with danger because the person behind the handle does not understand the nuances of local politics. At times such responses could even lead to unanticipated trouble. The minister/MLA might, be following some undesirable character on Twitter as has happened with Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently.
In this respect we ought to doff our hats to Ms Roshan Warjri, MLA and Minister who has chosen her own time to retire ‘gracefully,’ while she is still much sought after. But she is a rare breed among politicians. This is a tribe that is afraid of hanging their boots because they fear the loss of power. Retirement also creates space for younger people who are in sync with the times, to bring in fresh, innovative ideas. India is a young country and needs young, progressive minds to lead it.