‘Demos’ is a Greek word for the people. Thus Democracy is a government of the people. Students form a considerable part of the population of a country. Students symbolize the youth of the nation. There has been a trend among the teachers and parents to advise students to remain away from politics. It is a partial view. If the young students do not share their responsibility it will fall on the decaying shoulders of the older generation.

The older generation has its limitations. It succumbs to pressures and stands for status quo. Both of these go against the interests of the nation. It may remain under the sway of undesirable elements within the nation or yield to the wishes of the progressive nations.

Democracy is not a stale affair like monarchy, nor is it a region of terror like a dictatorship. It is poles apart from extreme Socialism that reduces man to insignificance before the authority of the State. Democracy stands for permanent ever lasting ripples in the body politic of the nation. It requires active vigilance. A little of slumber may reduce it to a play thing of a dictator.

Selfish over enthusiasm may breed indiscipline reducing Democracy to anarchy. It may result in disintegration of the nation falling prey to the ambitions of a foreign power. It is only the youth, the young students who can provide the unselfish vigilance. It is only they who keep the nation united and strong enough to face the onslaught of a foreign power with iron hand. The fort of democracy is rather built on the strength of the young.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Progress in a democratic set up requires innovation in all the spheres of human life; and innovation is the prerogative of the educated young. Democracy requires not only vigilance but change too. The social and economic institutions develop in a successful democracy as they have in the USA and Japan. Efforts are to be made through government agencies. Thus it is essential for the young students to play an active role in the democratic set up.

Social equality, individual liberty, freedom of thought, fraternity and a spirit of tolerance are the virtues on which the citadel of democracy rests. The old become a little conservative. In a country like India they stick to the caste barriers not allowing thousands of castes get mixed up. It is the young who are more large hearted. It is they who lay stress upon freedom of thought and individual liberty. Let them be an essential part of the political set up to make democracy a real success.

Unfortunately in backward countries politics has become a dirty affair. It is controlled by mafias and criminals. It is only the young who can counteract and control them. It is only ideal young students who can aspire for high ideals of democracy. It is they, who laid their lives in thousands at the altar of democracy in Tiananman Square in Beijing in China. Their sacrifice will bring fruits and the totalitarian regime of China will crumble like a house of sand as it has in the USSR and East European countries. It is these considerations that impelled the Government of India to give polling rights to the students and young men who are eighteen. They have already changed the political equations and made democracy a government of the people in the country. It is the sense of pure patriotism of young students that will make Indian democracy shine as the brightest star on the international horizon.