POLITICS AND STUDENTS SHOULD REMAIN APART
The most progressive, articulate and inspired spearhead of the most dynamic segment of country’s population is constituted by the student’s community. This vigour and youthful energy fired with idealism cannot be kept bottled up and separate from the national scene. History is replete with examples of students playing a vital role in overthrowing corrupt dictatorial regimes, freeing their people from foreign yoke and launching relentless crusader against social injustice and exploitation. History of the student movements in India can be proud of such deeds. Minimum age for voting has now been reduced to 18 years. Hence, it is neither realistic nor fair to expect students who are generally in this age group, to shun politics. On the contrary, political consciousness among them will have a proper influence on their casting of voter for the strengthening of Indian democracy. So politics and students should not remain apart.
The primary duty of a student is to devote his energy and attention to his studies. He cannot afford to waste his precious time in dirty politics at the expense of financial sacrifices of the parents. Politics should not disturb the students. These two should be separated.
We have seen in our country as to how politicians have destroyed all the ethics and values causing great deterioration in administration, economy, and police and in fact all of society. They indulge in rhetoric and election gimmicks. Indian political scene is crowded with people of degraded moral values for whom power is a means of mere self-embellishment. Consequently, all political parties are only competing in the race of grabbing power for fulfill their ambitions. Today’s politics lacks its human face, using promises and gimmicks as cheap instruments. Our national character will further degenerate if students come under the influence of such nasty game. Atmosphere of schools and colleges should be free from such bad influences, and then only the discipline, decorum and sanctity of educational institutions can be maintained. And by the time a student gains nothing but loses a lot by playing into the hands of politicians. So politics should be far from the students.
