Author: Harsha Kumari Singh
Publication: NDTV.com
Date: May 3, 2009
URL: http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/polls_not_about_glitzy_campaigns_for_bikaner_youth.php
The youth, their vote, their mobilisation,
their political participation, the young turks in politics - these are themes
that have gripped the imagination in these elections. Ironically though much
of this has focussed on the elite youth, who live in towns and cities like
Bombay, but NDTV travels to the far reaches of Thar Desert to Bikaner, and
finds on sand dune villages, young people who really know their politics.
"When I vote I have a right to know why
the promises made to me five years ago have not yet been fulfilled,"
said a local youth.
In the villages of Bikaner, the young people
do not need glitzy ad campaigns to mobilise them. They have their own simple
song.
What's more - they call the Lok Sabha elections
a semi-final, a preparing ground for the panchayat elections that will be
held in 2010. They use the opportunity to campaign for themselves for a panchayat
seat.
"If I become a sarpanch, I will take
all decisions based on what people want," said a young resident.
Pushpa and her friends have a simple logic
- while their MP and MLA would sit in Delhi or Jaipur, the sarpanch is the
one who directly impacts their lives, and battling corruption at the panchayat
level becomes critical.
"The panchayat is the backbone of our
democratic system. We have to strengthen this first and then automatically
the Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha elections will have some meaning," said
Iqbal, resident, Noore Ki Buri village.
