23. The Commitment by the Youth
FOR MANY OF our youth, graduation marks the watershed in life marking the completion of one phase in the growth of their personality. It is a turning point in the life of most of our young men. It places them in the social milieu with a status and qualifies them for further pursuit of specialised knowledge. It also qualifies them for a professional career of their choice. They thus become active participants in the social and economic life of the community with tremendous potential for good. I am aware that the most powerful motivational force behind a man's actions and reactions is his own welfare and the welfare of those near and dear to him. But, as you are all aware, no individual, much less an educated and enlightened one, can afford to be self-centred. His individual prosperity is inextricably linked with the prosperity of the community. For however self-made a man may be, he owes to the society a debt for providing him with the required environment and opportunity. The personal ambitions and aspirations of such an enlightened person should subserve the objectives which make for the political and social changes in the contemporary period.
We in India today are deeply involved in a national process of economic development and social transformation. This process, by its very nature, presupposes an active participation by every citizen. Then again we have a democratic form of Government which enables every citizen to vote for a Government of his choice. He has that powerful weapon of vote in his hand which can bring about any social or economic change he may desire.
Thus the role of a citizen is two-fold — he is an instrument of production and an instrument of economic social and political change.
India has accepted democracy with an abiding faith in the judgment of the people and a deep sense of commitment to sub-serving their well-being. The pioneers of modern India have introduced certain progressive political and social ideas. The political mind of India, therefore, is most modern. This is reflected in the Constitution we adopted twenty years ago. The acceptance of such progressive ideas is in itself a revolution. I may illustrate this by two examples. We gave the right of vote to women, and, as you all know, in many countries women had to struggle for generations to acquire this political right. Secondly, we have adopted the principle of adult franchise, which has released tremendous, hitherto unknown social forces. These two new political ideas have stirred the social soil of India and brought about a marked degree of social awakening and have led to activisation of social forces which had been stifled in the framework of the traditional society. Democracy knows no barriers, and the governments do not belong to any particular class or community. This itself gives a mass base for power, and diverse ideologies often clash for the allegiance of the people. All these processes have resulted in a constantly changing political canvas of the country.