So, 66 years of independent India later, have we fulfilled our duties to citizens (as political leaders representing them), especially those who are relatively young? I feel New Delhi (parliament and the government) has failed to meet the aspirations of the country’s youth. The 15th Lok Sabha has failed them, and I am also part of it. 

As the older generation of political leaders move away and younger people come in, they have to understand the challenges that the young electorate faces. Perhaps time will respond the best but this generational gap is going to be seen (in near future).

The recent announcement of bifurcating Andhra Pradesh to form Telangana had a huge reaction, and repercussion, from across the country. Now Assam is burning, Sikkim is cut off from the rest of country due to the pro-Gorkhaland agitation, and there are demands even for Garoland (among other statehood demands). I feel the aspiration for these areas will be driven by the young people.

It will, however, be unfair to compare the current generation of young leaders with our pre-independence leaders (because) different eras demands a different set, and kind, of leaders. We don’t have any dearth of good minds in parliament today but there is little opportunity to debate and discuss issues of import. The party whips curb debates and the way parliamentarians vote. 

Among others, as a result, the challenges of the young generation are not getting addressed through better public policy debates. We are in the middle of major global issues, like climate change for instance, and those issues need to be understood properly. But that is not happening because we are not able to sit down and discuss (these issues). Whatever little discussion is taking place is in the (parliamentary) committees. But they are limited in size and are focused. 

I, for instance, would like to debate more on population, health issue. I want to speak in parliament; I want to present my views like the leaders used to do in the years after independence. But those things never happen.

But the younger generation of leaders is telling the (parliament) speaker to do things differently. The headphones, the structure of parliament... it’s a difficult structure and leads to frequent disruption. For instance, the (speaker’s) chair should be a little farther off, the well a little farther in, and things more unidirectional. If we have headphones with noise cancellation, we can have debates (without noise made by protesting legislators coming in).

Today, most disruptions occur because people who want to disturb the proceedings would like to face the speaker. But if you change the (sitting) format, disruptions will be toned down. I don’t want to criticise parliament the way it is but today it is non-functional. At least, I am getting very tired of it. 

(As told to Trithesh Nandan)