Yesterday, a protest meet was organised by traditional fishermen and others to oppose a proposed marina in Goa. In between the speeches, a group of young boys and girls moved in to the empty spaces between the crowds and broke out into a dance to the tunes of a protest song.
The
youthful moves had an uplifting effect on the audience… more so from the words
spoken by two of them to explain their distress as well as resolve to save
their land, lives and livelihoods. The young man decried the patronizing line ‘Youth
are the future!’ He firmly declared that ‘Youth are Now!’
He is right! Youth are side-lined despite all promise of being
torchbearers of the future. They are brushed aside by the older generation as
being naïve and inexperienced. The irony is that the wisdom of experience
comes only through going through the act of experience. Seniors deny the youth
the freedom to participate beyond being foot soldiers in their cause.
Those in positions of power, whether political
power or those within civil society, recognize that youth can easily be
mobilized with great effect. What they forget is that youth are active agents
of change, first for now and then for the future. The ‘today’ in their hands
will create the ‘tomorrow’ that will be.
Youth must be allowed to spread their roots as well as shoots
and grow into capable canopies! The ones who are good enough to vote at the age
of 18 years are surely adept to make other choices, too. Remember that youth icons
like Bhagat Singh made significant contributions in thought and actions before
being martyred at the age of 23.
Youth are Now! Let them root…
To aim at the future to shoot!
- Pravin K. Sabnis
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