A politics of the young needs to open up and include, speak to new — and old

The students’ movement, driven by demands for education and employment, is forging new common ground and solidarities, bridging divides in the nation’s fractured political landscape. This development follows the Jantar Mantar sit-in, which compelled the Narendra Modi government to heed the protesters’ voices amplified through social media. The question arises: will this youthful politics endure beyond the fleeting excitement and social media frenzy?

The struggle for inclusion and unity in India has seen two contrasting tendencies – breaking down the whole into its constituent parts and constructing new wholes. The first step is essential to ensure that all segments feel recognized, preventing dominance and inequality from going unnoticed. The electoral system, while facilitating catch-all politics, makes the latter step necessary – connecting the dots and creating overarching communities.

The 1990s witnessed two grand political projects, Mandal and Mandir, attempting to dissect and then reassemble society. The Mandal project aimed at caste-based social justice, but its emphasis on proportional representation undermined the potential for unity. Meanwhile, the Mandir project sought to reconstruct religious co-existence, but Hindutva leadership’s divisive rhetoric thwarted its progress.

Efforts to transcend the entrenched divisions of Mandal and Mandir have yielded mixed results. Mayawati and Nitish Kumar attempted to bridge caste and community lines, with varying degrees of success. The Aam Aadmi Party’s populist narrative has faltered due to internal conflicts and external opposition. Modi’s focus on the aspirational voter has waned in favor of BJP’s confrontational approach, while Prashant Kishor and Vijay are yet to solidify their political visions.

The students’ movement represents a potential breakthrough in creating a new politics that speaks to the aspirations of both young and old. By emphasizing shared values and creating inclusive spaces, it has the potential to transcend the limitations of previous movements and foster lasting unity in India’s diverse society.