National attention was hardly riveted to an event in the national capital on Monday, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation’s youth as part of the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue. This was a rare occasion in tradition-bound India where the focus shifted albeit briefly to youth, whose energy is the principal factor that drives nations to progress. But, the disconnect between the PM and the large, elite audience comprising mostly youths, was all too spectacular. The prime minister explained how he created better conditions for the nation’s youth and cited “how difficult” it was for them 10 years ago to get jobs or start an enterprise. Claims apart, in an event like this, leaders should rather speak in the idiom of the new generation and give them hope.
In a hip and happening world, refreshing new ideas matter; the old order must change and the old faces too. Narendra Modi, in his third successive term as prime minister, represents a retired generation. The world keeps changing with the times. Change in India, however, is slow and not giving much hope to the new generation. This is evident also in the fact that nearly seven lakh people, mostly youths, emigrate from India each year – a doubling of the number in 15 years. India records the largest outflow of skilled and educated youths in search of jobs and opportunities in foreign soil. For a developed nation, which India is not, it should be the other way round. As per reports a while ago, more of the educated Indians go to Bangladesh for jobs, than youths from there coming to India for such jobs. The salaries there are higher. Over 1.8 million Indian students are flying out to take their degrees in a year, while the inflow of students from abroad to India is still rare. Modi claimed at the event that larger numbers of start-ups were coming up here in recent years; and that drones were now being used for spraying pesticides in the agricultural fields. These are natural progressions over time. The ‘Make In India’ slogan has not helped create too many jobs; FDI flows have not gone up in recent times. More investments mean more jobs. Addressing these issues is of paramount importance. The restrained response to the prime minister’s speech at the event is also proof of the disenchantment among the new generation about the decadent systems letting them down in every sphere of life.
Serious issues are at stake. The ageing profile of politics and leadership in this country is itself a dampener. Leaders carry on and on through successive terms, keeping the young generation of leaders in the queue. Unless a space turns vacant at the apex, those below the ladder cannot climb up and take responsibilities. Modi, who introduced an age-75 bar on politicians holding public offices, has himself defied the rule when he crossed the line. Politics across the board is infested by ageing politicians who refuse to move aside. The longer they are in politics, the more they vitiate the system. The youth of India are no longer impressed looking as they do at a gloomy future.
