With the hype surrounding young political leaders, can welook forward to a positive change in the political system?

Have you ever thought about how days in the Stone Age must have been? People doing all they want, no law to stop them, robbing each others food and practically living like animals! Sounds scary, doesn’t it? So does a country governed by fraudulent politicians. For a country like India to be in the wrong hands is only a little less scarier than death!

It is an elementary fact that the educated youth possess the caliber to truly envision the growth path of Indian democracy by thus salvaging the ever deteriorating state of the Indian political class. Today’s young politicians like Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi have not only made a remarkable entrance into the political field but also have set an example to all youth who only believe in pointing fingers at corrupt politicians and voicing their opinions on how modern India can improvise, but when it comes to entering the so-called dirty game of politics each of them have their hands washed off. Alas what they don’t seem to realize is that change begins from a single person who has the guts to think different.

However I don’t believe only being young is an imperative criterion to make a good politician. It is also important that irrespective of being young or old the politician knows well how to evaluate not only people but also how to take the correct decisions when it comes to managing a country like India which is not only diverse in culture and philosophy, but is also in spite of all the economic and technological developments still an underdeveloped country.

Most of our politicians today are nothing but highly manipulative in convincing the masses for votes but when it comes to taking upright decisions they find themselves at the mercy of their subordinates. Today when we talk about successful politicians what we realize is that the term “successful” implies to only their own personal success however the condition of the country more or less remains the same. Talking about politicians to whom age did not seem to be a barrier to their contribution to the country, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was of 58 years of age when he was elected Prime Minister of independent India on 15th August 1947 and the change made by him does not need to be explained. Both as a Prime Minister and a Congress President Nehru went against some of the members of his own party so as to issue reforms like raising the conventional marriageable age of women from twelve to fifteen, empowering women with the rights to divorce their husbands and the abolishment of dowry system. His economic reforms include building of various dams and canals, constructions of various irrigations centers and generation of hydroelectricity. To add to this he undertook a number of educational reforms as well. This clearly proves that after all age is just a number and that age does not even make a difference if you are agile enough to do your job well. So then what are the qualities that an ideal politician should possess?

Today what India needs is not a politician who is young by age but someone who is modern in his or her thinking and someone who also possesses the wisdom and maturity like that of an experienced politician. Someone who not only possesses the qualities of dedication and commitment but also is in the profession for the main purpose of public service can only make an ideal politician. Good oratory skills and being a political savvy are alone not enough, he should be a person who practices what he preaches and truly believes in what he says. Many people tend to idolize their politicians therefore it is essential that he should also possess qualities of humbleness and modesty. People would like to have a politician who looks approachable and who is open to public views. For example politicians like Barak Obama are viewed through rose-tinted glasses worldwide.

If India is successful in raising a politician of this caliber only then will it be able to find a ray of hope in this never ending battle for eternal salvation from corrupt politicians and economic, political and social discrimination….