In our country, people who talk much on issues like Digital India, computer, technology, research and development will definitely be seen talking above caste and religion, but this section is easily forgotten while voting.
You will find many examples of this, especially in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the two major states of North India. Today we are going to talk about Bihar because Bihar assembly elections are going on and all political parties are engaged in their own planning.
What Is The Result Of Racist Politics?
The politics of Bihar is completely divided on caste and religious lines as is the case in most states of India and no party can keep itself out of it. If any party claims that they do not do politics on the basis of caste, understand that they are taking you towards an obscure world.
It is the result of this casteist politics that when elections near, all the conversations on development, all manifestos are kept in the loop. All politics is lost in the debate of caste and religion. The basic issues of the public disappear from the debate.
Whereas in 2020, India has the highest number of young voters at 24% and in the last Lok Sabha election, there were five states with the highest number of new young voters, with Bihar at number one. This data is according to the Election Commission of India data. Bihar had 63,800,160 voters at the time of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, which increased to 69,934,100 in 2018. According to these figures, in these four years, 61,33,940 new voters were added in Bihar and it may have increased in number as it was two years ago.
Thus, Bihar is the state with the largest youth population in the country. The population from adolescence to middle age is defined as young but definitions may vary across agencies.
The United Nations research report categorizes the age group of 15 to 24 years as generally young. The National Youth Policy in India (2003) defined youth between 13 and 35 years of age. Later, the National Youth Policy 2014 redefined this age group as 15–29 years old. The NSSO 68th round for workforce participation data was set in 15–29 years. In the latest NSSO report on youth released in 2017, the bracket ranged from 15–34 years of age.
Now the youth of Bihar will have to think seriously whether they will still be bound in the political bond of caste and religion or will they cast their vote by considering their future issues like education and employment?
When will the condition of youth in Bihar improve?
A very serious problem for the youth inside Bihar is that after passing matriculation here, they have to depend on coaching institutes for further studies because for further studies in government +2 schools and universities, there is a shortage of teachers.
Whereas in the present situation, if we youth continue to vote on caste politics as our issue, then it would be meaningless to expect any kind of better education and employment opportunities from any government formed by them. If we want to change inside the state of Bihar, then we young people will have to change our mindset only then something can be possible.
Featured image is for representational purposes only.
Featured image source: Nasir Kachroo/NurPhoto via Getty Images