Does India Need a Young PM?

chillibreeze writer — Mayank Arora

The Prime Minister of India, under the constitution, is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ruling party, who takes crucial decisions with respect to the governance of the country and makes policies befitting the interest of people in consultation with the union cabinet.

In short, a PM's job as a constitutional servant is to make sure that the country is governed in consonance with the directive principles as enumerated in the constitution. However, the first question that pops up is whether such duties have been assiduously performed so far.

With the obscurantist tendencies that we possess, the answer may not be apparent; but we always try to figure out the reasons behind any failure of performance. (If any). Personally speaking, I have my doubts about any one PM coming up to the common man's expectations and constitutional mandates and the reasons could be manifold. (Not speaking statistically).

For years and years together, we have seen venal politicians lapping up the taxpayer's money without the "Great Indian Burp". We have seen frivolous policies being implemented without a rationale and concern for the "AAM AADMI."

The second question that remains unanswered is whether it was all because of the aging politicians and especially the PM of our country (who is normally the eldest and most experienced of the flock) and their lack of connectivity to the so-called "Youngistan," which has a different set of priorities and expectations from their putative leaders.

To assess this proposition objectively, let us go back to the times of Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, who at the age of 40 was the youngest PM India had ever seen. The report card of the government after the need of 5 years was more red than green. In spite of his strong charismatic personality, dynamism and fervor for reforms, he had to bite the dust within two years of his term as the PM.

The first two years went extremely well, but there was a reason. The country was sick of voting for those who were already known to the people and had ideas and policies stagnant enough to give an Indian Gutter a run for its money.

When Smt. Indira Gandhi was assassinated, the country looked upon the elusive Rajiv to come up to their expectations. And the best part was that various sects had various expectations, but because no one really knew how he would turn out be as a politician and PM, there was a massive mandate in his favor and the Congress party enjoyed a stupendous majority for 5 years.

Unfortunately, at the end of the term, nothing much came out of the kitty of the youthful PM that everyone was talking so highly about. The answer is simple. One man, be it a seasoned and aging "Neta" type figure or a brawny fledgling and youthful lad, cannot come up to the expectations of 800 million people at the same time. The reasons were also very straightforward, the most obvious being Rajiv’s inexperience in dealing with extraneous pressures.

But, enough of the past. Let us now try to envisage a similar proposition in the contemporary context. With the multitude of voices and diversity of interests seeking to be represented, no policy maker can be expected to play miracles by placating everyone at the same time.

I am not suggesting that dynamism and knowledge cannot supplant the present chaos. Rather, I am suggesting that for these virtues to be present in a leader, we need not insist on a younger lad over an experienced man.

It is quite simplistic to suggest that a young India with a young PM would be true combination of potential and dynamism, but we are looking at a bloated picture. This is not a country with a common language and dialect. This is a country where diversity is palpable at every few kilometers.

To sum up, there are no easy answers. Using age as the only factor to determine the efficiency of a PM, without regard to other crucial factors like qualification, policies, family background etc. is perhaps whimsically absurd.
Let us look at this a little more pragmatically and start looking at the bigger picture where this democracy can not just elect but select its own leaders, who understand the importance of the "Preamble to the Constitution of India" and aim towards realizing it.

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—About our writer:

Mayank says, "I am a Post Graduate law student also working as a freelance legal consultant. Socio-legal and political events have always invoked a ire inside me and I have been writing privately since then. Due to my strenuous work schedule I don't get much time to write, however as a keen learner I have always yearned to expand my horizons and connect to the like-minded people as it's a totally enlightening experience for me."

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