Letters: Age of infirmity?

Apropos Sunil Sethi's column "No country for young men" (Al Fresco, June 22), it is indeed a palpable paradox that a country with nearly 75 per cent of the people below the age of 35 continues to be led by old men, so much so that a 43-year-old man is regarded as a youth leader in one political party, and a 63-year-old "young" man represents the younger generation in another. Even in our states, no chief minister is less than 40. And if there is one, he/she is supervised by a strict father. The contrast becomes glaring when one finds that young leaders have occupied commanding heights in other walks of life - business, art, film and literature. A lack of opportunity and talent are responsible for this state of politics, but the former more often. Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi has had the opportunity for a long time to head the government, but lacks confidence to take charge. In another case, an 88-year old sees nothing wrong in becoming a minister. In this debate of old versus young leadership, do analysts overlook the scientifically proven fact that ability is not inversely related to age? The way the youth responded to Anna Hazare over his crusade against corruption shows that they are craving for able and energetic leaders - where age is no bar. But India's tragedy is that "what we have is not what we want; and what we want is not what we need; but what we need is not available". Finally, one question to the writer: Why talk of young "men" alone? Is it because as a nation, we place women inferior to men - the evidence to the contrary notwithstanding?

Y G Chouksey Pune

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