'Aloof from politics'; Curious case of Indian youths ahead of LS polls

It is the consensus that the future of every nation lies in the hands of the younger generation. The nation will see sporadic changes in the coming era and will function conforming to the dreams of the present younger generations. This works only if the younger generation makes the best use of their right to vote. From the reports published recently, the trends are worrisome as if the young generation are least bothered about the politics of the country.

Kerala Kaumudi published a report titled New Generation without Vote, which gives a worrying indication that the new generation has turned away from the political election process.

According to existing reports, the number of people who have reached the age of eighteen and are eligible to vote is more than one million, but seventy per cent of them have not yet bothered to register their names in the voter list.

A good number of youngsters from the list will have already made up their minds to fly abroad for studies, giving some good reason for them to opt out of the Indian political scenario. However, what about the others from the list, should we assume they are uninterested in politics?

There was a time when youngsters waited to cross 18 just to register their names on the voters' list. The first vote was always clouded in anxiety and fulfilment rather than prioritizing the political choice. It should be learned that those days are long gone. Nowadays, students are not just mere spectators but they are cognizant of the unscrupulous working of Indian politics. The youngsters are pretty much sure of no big wonder going to change the lifestyle of middle-class people in the country, irrespective of whoever ascends to power.

The devaluation of politics, the rise of corrupt politics, and the unprincipled actions of leaders in power politics have started to tire the youth. A growing number of people think voting is a waste. This is a terrible reality not only for the political parties but for the nation itself.

In the past, political parties were assigned the responsibility of searching for youngsters and adding them to the voter list. With the advent of the online facility for name registration, there is no need to depend on parties for it.

Youngsters these days never gloat about their politics albeit having some strong opinion on the happenings affecting the country. It is rather a herculean task to unearth the convoluted politics espoused by these youngsters. It means serious work, so the political parties dropped all efforts to enlist these youngsters in the voter's list since there is no surety that they will hold for them in the elections.

It is essential to preserve the political consciousness of a young generation with faith in the democratic process and active participation in electoral processes. It is up to the political parties to take the initiative. The central government should also think about transparent systems that will give opportunities to young people abroad for studying and other purposes to cast their votes in local elections.

Elections are more than a matter of political parties and candidates; it is a process that determines the survival of democracy itself.