Archive for November 2013
Development, Youth and the 2014 Election
The past and present of Gujarat is enough to say that Mr. Modi can lead India only towards destruction. He can only give us a communal, inhumane, unjust and divided Bharat.
The development story of
Gujarat is certainly one among many deceptions created by the media in
collaboration with the corporate and the politicians. It’s good that the hypes
around Mr. Modi are being refuted in an intelligent manner. It’s definitely going
to affect the 2014 elections, but to what extent? That certainly will act as
litmus test for many in terms of the hope left in countering communal politics
in our country.
The past and present of Gujarat
is enough to say that Mr. Modi can lead India only towards destruction. He can
only give us a communal, inhumane, unjust and divided Bharat. In spite of these
known facts, does the enigma lie in Mr. Modi’s selling point? Or why his party
is promoting him so much? Does it have to do with his development strategies or
his dictatorial nature or his knack to play communal politics successfully?
As far
as the development model is concerned nobody’s way looks different. It’s not only
Gujarat but the whole nation where these models have failed miserably.
Uttarakhand is a recent example that can never be ignored after the recent (un)
natural calamities which shook the whole country.
Why on
earth, even after six decades of independence are we struggling with the issues
of disparities, exclusion, hunger and violence, and why are they growing day by
day?
Have we
not applied “development” in the same terms taught by our colonial rulers since
our independence? Is it not driven by the principles of “survival of the
fittest” and “competition not co-operation”? Our belief about development looks
more like a pyramid where bottom of the pyramid (BoP) is considered to be a
normal part of the structure. So the thought process is not to break this structure
but to let something trickle down from the top to the bottom. Otherwise how
will the top remain at the top?
In the subconscious mind of the
majority world (so called developing and under-developed nations) the concept
of development has been borrowed from modernism. Many among us criticize
modernism and its colonial roots but deep inside our heart it is so deeply
entrenched that perhaps all our activities show an unknown conformism. That’s
the reason we always play catch-up with the so called developed nations and
fail in order to play some more to remain under the same vicious cycle. Even
after such a long chain of reforms in so many sectors which promised us
economic prosperity, look at our ever devaluing currency, increasing poverty
and myriads of other disparities.
India
is heading towards a youth nation with more than fifty percent of the
population falling under 25 years of age. These youths are going to play a
decisive role in the future of the country. With 2014 election in close
proximity it’s high time for the youth to wake up and start being serious about
the future of their land.
Even if
we equate development with employment it’s in a grim situation – formal sector
doesn’t have jobs for a large proportion of educated youth. Our school prepares
us for jobs but our market has no jobs for millions. Interestingly our market
says that majority of our educated youth are not employable also. Ultimately
the promises of our education and schooling also look false just like the
politician’s promises.
So
where does the problem lie – our education or our market or both? Why is our
market so weak that it doesn’t have enough jobs? Why our markets are always led
by few individuals and the masses are enslaved under those few? Why our schools
can’t even prepare us for what they promise? Can these issues incite us to
develop a youth agenda for 2014 election for our better future at least? Tag :
Articles,
