Shashi Tharoor interacting with techies in Technopark

My dear young Technopark Friend,

The one thing you certainly know as a Technopark person is that the times
have changed. But they have not only changed technologically. The days when
smart, educated people like you stayed away from politics have also gone.
A person cannot be  ‘apolitical’  any more.

There is too much at stake. Keeping away from politics will only restrict
the progress and growth of our country in the 21st century. This need not
be so. It is your right to be an active participant in our  country’s  public
life. But rights have value only when they are exercised.  That is why I
am writing to you today  –  to urge you to exercise your right to make a
difference in shaping  India’s  destiny. You can do it by joining the Youth
Congress.

Right now, you are being left out. Not by design, but by ignorance. Not
being involved in politics is an act of omission by the individual citizen
rather than an act of commission by any party or political force. Keeping
aloof is a personal choice, but it is also an abdication of responsibility.

There is an increasing gap between the political process and the
participation in it of  India’s  brightest sons and daughters. This is a
separation which is intolerable and one which can be ignored only at our own
peril  –  both at the individual level and at the level of the nation. It was
not so at the time of the freedom struggle, when the best and most energetic
minds, cutting across all professional classes, actively participated in the
political process of the nationalist movement. Today that enthusiasm has
been replaced by indifference.

But politics is not merely about elections every few years. It is about
determining the choices your country makes, which intimately affect your
daily lives wherever you live and work. Our Government is doing a great deal
that you  can’t  afford to be indifferent to. Decisions are being taken on
life and death issues about yourself and of your families – and if you are
not involved in the process that arrives at those decisions, it simply means
that you do not care. Vital decisions that will affect your professional
opportunities, the investment climate in our country, the way in which
revenues are raised and spent, and the policies that will affect your own
advancement, are being formulated and taken in various forums  –  by local
bodies, the State legislature and at the national level through our
Parliament.  It’s  the political process that establishes these institutions
and determines their composition.

The Congress Party recognizes this very keenly and is doing something about
it. It knows its responsibility to the nation and is taking the lead.  It
is a 125-year old party with an inspiring and proven track record. The
manner in which it conducted the Freedom Struggle against foreign rule and
in its conduct of governance since independence it has been an inspiration
and model across the globe.  The very structure of Indian democracy is
entwined with the sinews of the Congress party. It is the true symbol and
manifestation of Indian democracy. It is a party of the people, by the
people and for the people. The Congress has never believed in divisive
politics. It has the unique position of being the Party which is
single-handedly upholding the very Idea of India.

It is a party with a proven track record of efficient organization, that
has sought always to nurture in each generation a strong, vibrant and
visionary leadership totally rooted in the Indian ethos of democracy. It is
the party of the founding fathers of this nation and one which has
single-handedly upheld the faith and belief of those great men and women,
that multi-party democracy was the most suitable system for a nation of such
richness in diversity and dynamic potential as India. It is the party of
stalwarts and ordinary party workers which has led this nation for the
majority of its years as an independent nation and which has taken it to the
cusp of greatness, poised to take its rightful place in the forefront of the
comity of nations.

The Congress Party has always stood for and actively encouraged the
democratization of governance and the active participation of the citizenry
in governance, right from the grass-roots level. Path-breaking legislation,
such as that pertaining to the Panchayati Raj institutions, the Mahatma
Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and the Right to Information Act,
are examples of innovative policies inspired and enacted under the guidance
of its leaders .

The Congress is a party which has stood the test of time and is
increasingly relevant in guiding India towards its future in the 21stcentury.
It has proved that it is the only party which can take India
forward and meet every challenge and opportunity that the globalized world
of today can throw up. It has proved that it can formulate and implement
polices which will ensure that our youth get the best of opportunities and
protection in their interaction with the outside world  –  in education,
professions and business. The second term given by the people for the UPA
under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh amply proves this. The prime Minister
has acknowledged the support given to the Congress by young voters last year
and promised to  “respect  the impatience of the  young”.  Now you can work with
him and the Congress to fulfil this vision.

The Congress party has always moved with the times. The Indian National
Youth Congress under Rahul Gandhi has been in the vanguard of progress,
putting in place compulsory elections to party posts, starting from the
grass-roots level. Instead of leaders being thrust on you from above, young
people will elect their own party leaders. It is this desire to ensure
fairness and promote true representativeness which will ensure that the
party will remain true to its democratic roots and remain as the most potent
force in the political fabric of the nation.

So here is your chance to make a difference, by getting involved yourself.
I urge you to seize the present opportunity with both hands. This is the
right time to take a positive decision to join the political process through
the Congress Party.  My appeal to you is to do it now.

The strength of the Congress Party has been in that it always welcomed with
open arms every individual who aspired to contribute in a positive way. So
come to Al-Saj Auditorium, Kazhakkoottam, right near the Technopark, at 5 pm
Wednesday 26th May, to interact with me and other Congress leaders about
the ways in which you can get involved through the Youth Congress.

Kerala has always made major contributions to new initiatives and has led
the nation in many path-breaking ventures. The Youth Congress in the State
is poised to be a dynamic force to meet the challenges facing the state.  The
healthy organizational reforms and democratic processes which has been
initiated provides an unique opportunity for our youth to contribute to the
making of a new Kerala and a new India. Join us to make an impact  in all
spheres of national life.

You can make the difference and you can make it here and now.

I look forward to seeing you Wednesday evening!

With warm regards and best wishes,

DR SHASHI THAROOR, M.P.

——————————————————————————————————–
Shashi Tharoor will be conducting an interaction with techies in technopark
about the importance of youth in politics on 26th may 6pm
at  Al-Saj auditorium.

All are invited

Update:

Sasi Tharoor’s meeting with Techies , How it went : Read Benoy’s Blog