Why Bother with Politics? – Talk at IIM Europe Alumni Meet, London
UPDATE: Pl. read article in Asian Voice by Spriha (excerpts below).
Dear All: Below are some slides I shared during my talk on “Why Bother with Politics?” at the IIM Europe Alumni Meeting in London on 23rd Aug ’12 (thanks to Vikram for making it happen). Hope to put up the video soon. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat!
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An article covering my talk at the IIM Alumni Europe’s meeting in London last week (Thanks to Spriha). Among the many things I said, I feel these few lines are worth repeating:
“..at a very basic level, we ought to be aware of these things as they directly impact our future, our lives at a very fundamental level – and they shape the future of India – a country that can (potentially) influence and dominate the 21st century just like the USA did in the 20th century. For that though, a number of things will need to fall in place. The first step must therefore be about getting “aware†or getting “interested + informedâ€.
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“We could start by becoming “responsible citizens..That goes beyond just voting. It means being aware of our rights and facing up to the system when something is not working the way it should. This could span the range from letters to the editor to writing about incidents and experience on your own blog – all the way to filing a RTI – or even a Public Interest Litigation.â€
He further goes on to say, “for most people though, I would suggest a start by making sure you vote, making sure you enjoy your basic rights as a citizen, and then being ready to monitor – and to complain, where need be. But while doing this, bear in mind that fundamental and lasting change will only come via direct political involvement – when one is ready to help build and offer a credible alternative to the existing political leadership. Because at the heart of very single challenge we face in India is an ineffective, incompetent and corrupt leadership. Unless that changes, nothing will really change. And therefore my exhortation to young talented professionals is always the same: Think hard about a political career; think hard about how a profession so noble became a word of insult (in the Indian context) and think hard about preparing yourself to offer an alternative.â€
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Read it all here:Â http://www.sprihasrivastava.com/2012/09/04/why-bother-with-politics/
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