In a country where the majority of the population is young, the political leadership remains predominantly older. This disparity has sparked debate about the need for younger voices in governance. Recently, Indian politician Raghav Chadha, a member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and a Member of Parliament, brought attention to this issue by advocating for a minimum age requirement for politicians.
Raghav Chadha’s Advocacy
Raghav Chadha has been vocal about the necessity of involving more young people in politics. In his recent statements, he highlighted the demographic reality of India, where a significant portion of the population is under the age of 35. Chadha pointed out that despite this youthful demographic, the country’s political leadership is overwhelmingly older, often with leaders well into their senior years.
Mr. Chadha said “We are a young country with old politicians, we must aspire to be a young country with young politicians.”
As the 35-year-old Raghav Chadha began addressing the issue, there was a light-hearted exchange between him and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. The Chairman humorously inquired if Chadha had hoped to join Parliament at an even younger age.
Mr Chadha replied with a laugh. “I’ll tell you, sir. The issue is close to my heart… India, with an average age of 29 years, is one of the youngest countries in the world. In our country, 65% of the population is less than 35 years old and over 50% is less than 25 years old. But are our politicians and elected representatives as young?“
“You will be surprised to know that, in the first Lok Sabha, 26% of the people were less than 40 years old and the just-dissolved 17th Lok Sabha had only 12% people in that age group. So, as the country is getting younger, our elected representatives are getting older,” he added.
Raghav Chadha’s push for a minimum age requirement for politicians underscores a broader discussion about the need for rejuvenation in Indian politics. As India continues to grow and evolve, ensuring that its political leadership reflects the country’s demographic reality is crucial. While the idea of age limits for politicians is still up for debate, it brings to light the importance of creating opportunities for young leaders and fostering a more inclusive and representative political environment.