NEW
DELHI: Pumping bass, fluorescent lights, throbbing dance, Power Point —
and Narendra . Welcome to a new-age political meet, 'Manthan' by youth group
CAG, featuring over 6000 students from IITs, IIMs and colleges across
India, talking with political, social and corporate minds. Topics ranged
from the north-east to the PDS, increasing clean drinking water to
slashing muscle power in politics. But this wasn't just a brain-storming
session.
Rather, this was a political rock-show — with Narendra Modi
as its star. Over 84% of the young crowd voted to hear Modi over any
other politician, giving him a standing ovation before he began speaking
— and another when he ended. "I am voting for Modi," a DU student said.
"He has a track record and a vision." When asked about options, he
retorted, "Not Rahul Gandhi!
He's no youth icon, he's nearly 47!" Even a correction about Rahul's
age didn't make a difference. "I don't care." Would he care about
minority rights? "If the Congress is secular, why haven't they
implemented the Sachar Committee Report?"
Mostly pro-Modi, students were well-informed. One IIT student highlighted how Chandrababu Naidu hadn't factored in the US meltdown. An IIM student discussed port development while a Gujarati IIT student described Gujarat as relatively free from bribery. He mentioned, "My milkman's a Muslim. He's happy, his children go to school, he earns well." A student from Salem said, "I think the BJP's ending its hardcore Hindutva days. In Karnataka, we saw more Muslim candidates." He added, "This is our time — we don't want divisions. We want a good GDP."
Modi promised that, sketching word paintings of optical fibres as rivers of the future, technology for transparency and how the young won't tolerate 'beimaani'. A few notions — like 'lab to land' agri-tech transfers — didn't find much traction. However, Modi made up with jibes at the Prime Minister, eliciting hearty laughter. An IIT student remarked, "Modi's like a CEO who expertly delegates." That would be familiar to CAG itself, composed of 30-something ex-investment bankers, consultants, etc, many putting lucrative careers on hold for this. Members receive a subsistence allowance but didn't discuss details. "We're a flat organisation, without hierarchies," one said. "We want the focus to be on politics, not us."
And as the bass pumped and Mandira Bedi yelled, "And the next speaker is ... !", it was.
New youth body set up for 2014 polls
A group of young professionals have come together to give voice to the views of young India. Indian CAG (Citizens for Accountable Governance) organized Manthan, a youth convention, to set the agenda for general elections in 2014 and present it before the present political leadership. But members of Indian CAG which comprises of IIT and IIM alumni among other professionals want to remain anonymous.
Mostly pro-Modi, students were well-informed. One IIT student highlighted how Chandrababu Naidu hadn't factored in the US meltdown. An IIM student discussed port development while a Gujarati IIT student described Gujarat as relatively free from bribery. He mentioned, "My milkman's a Muslim. He's happy, his children go to school, he earns well." A student from Salem said, "I think the BJP's ending its hardcore Hindutva days. In Karnataka, we saw more Muslim candidates." He added, "This is our time — we don't want divisions. We want a good GDP."
Modi promised that, sketching word paintings of optical fibres as rivers of the future, technology for transparency and how the young won't tolerate 'beimaani'. A few notions — like 'lab to land' agri-tech transfers — didn't find much traction. However, Modi made up with jibes at the Prime Minister, eliciting hearty laughter. An IIT student remarked, "Modi's like a CEO who expertly delegates." That would be familiar to CAG itself, composed of 30-something ex-investment bankers, consultants, etc, many putting lucrative careers on hold for this. Members receive a subsistence allowance but didn't discuss details. "We're a flat organisation, without hierarchies," one said. "We want the focus to be on politics, not us."
And as the bass pumped and Mandira Bedi yelled, "And the next speaker is ... !", it was.
New youth body set up for 2014 polls
A group of young professionals have come together to give voice to the views of young India. Indian CAG (Citizens for Accountable Governance) organized Manthan, a youth convention, to set the agenda for general elections in 2014 and present it before the present political leadership. But members of Indian CAG which comprises of IIT and IIM alumni among other professionals want to remain anonymous.
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