Students question Rahul

The significance of Rahul Gandhi’s interaction with the students of a Bangalore college was not in the embarrassment it caused to the Congress vice-president due to some uncomfortable questions he was asked, as media headlines highlighted or TV channels discussed, but in the fact that such a “conversation” took place in these days of “intolerance”. It was not a condescending speaker talking to a class of learners, enlightening them about the political situation. The students cross-examined their speaker and did not hesitate to tell where he was right and where wrong. Politicians are often allowed to get away with their banalities or homilies. The audience seldom gets a chance to pose counter-questions. 

Rahul Gandhi began well when he told students: “My job is to come to you and to listen to you.... And you to tell me, 'we don't agree with you, Mr Gandhi. You are wrong over here’.”  After Rahul's Modi-bashing, students subjected him to tough questioning: Why is the Opposition stalling Parliament merely for opposing the government? Why are youth going either to the BJP or to AAP, and not to the Congress? Does aligning with the RJD in Bihar not mean that the Congress is compromising with corruption? There was no rancour in the question-answer session. Rahul was applauded when he said, “Democracy is about discussion”.

The students’ awareness level is reflected in their questions and their confidence in speaking out their mind and not allowing themselves to be overawed by their guest’s celebrity status. It was a discussion, not a lecture. Politicians in general and Parliament in particular need to learn a lesson or two from the Bangalore college students. Political parties these days hardly allow a genuine intra-party discussion. Leaders’ mistakes are ignored in the name of discipline. Not many politicians are open to hard questioning in public. The voice of youth is not adequately heard despite their large and growing number. But as was clear in Bangalore, political awareness is growing among them. The quality of politics can improve if more youth — other than politicians’ kin — are inducted by parties.