Students are an unstoppable force

When students hit the streets in angst, there is no politician who will dare to ignore them for their moorings could be torn apart if the demands raised by this young and impatient generation are not heard patiently and resolved in the best way possible. This uncomfortable truth is becoming more and evident as various states and the Central government grapple with student protests and often act lethargically with disastrous consequences. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has,” wrote anthropologist Margaret Mead years ago.

Students across the country are realising that they have the power to change the world or at least the immediate conditions in their states. The BJP-led Central government woke up a bit too late to this reality and party heavyweight and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had to pay the price, exiting his chair to save the government from severe embarrassment. Police excesses happened as the government tried to cripple the CJP movement with brute force on the streets of Delhi. But that was in vain with the Supreme Court now planning to set up a high-powered panel to probe al legations of police excesses during the NEET protest.

On August 17, students achieved an other striking success with the Jharkhand government cancelling the Staff Selection Commission Exam and agreeing to most demands raised by the protesters. Activist Devendra Mahato has since withdrawn his hunger strike and there is a celebratory mood all across as citizens realise that student and youth power can change the world in a decisive manner.This is of course not the first time youthful energy has brought about cataclysmic changes in human history. Old-timers recall the anti-Vietnam war protests in the US in the 1960s which hastened the end of the war.

In India, the Gujarat Nav Nirman movement brought the then state government to its knees and later grew into a massive force forcing the Indira Gandhi government to impose the Emergency. Indira was swept out of power and again, youth anger played a pivotal role. Then came the 1980s when anti-Mandal protests crippled normal life across the country and brought about a radical shift in caste and community dynamics. “There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest,” remarked American activist Elie Wiesel - words which so aptly sum up the prevailing sentiment in the country as ‘new India’ sets out to reboot the social and political system and make sure the India of their dreams comes true. And those who fail to gauge the strength of youth power have only one place to go - the dustbin of history.