Kalvakuntla Kavitha, Asaduddin Owaisi bat for youth quota in politics

Hyderabad: Members of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi (MIM) and Kalvakuntla Kavitha (TRS) recommend that young people interested in politics should get involved at the young age of 20.

Speaking at the Telangana Jagruthi International Youth Leadership Conference, 2019, on Saturday, the founder and president of the Telangana Jagruthi, K. Kavitha, said, “The participation of youth in politics in the present scenario is very difficult and for that reason I am going to propose reservation for youth in politics. There is a need for reservation for both youth and women.”

Only 13 per cent of Members of Parliament in the present Lok Sabha are in the age group of under 40 years. Mr Owaisi said, “We need more youth to participate in politics and they must not join the national parties, the Congress or the BJP. They must join the regional parties.”

The killing of young people in Kashmir was raised and Mr Owaisi pointed out that “neither the Congress nor the BJP has any policy on Kashmir. They have completely failed to find a solution for Kashmir. Shah Faesal, who has quit the Indian Administrative Services, must form this own party of Kashmiris. It is very important for Kashmiri youth to be an integral part of India. There is alienation. But Kashmir will always be an integral part of India. Pakistan must stop interfering Kashmir.”

He was asked by a delegate from Maharashtra why he gave “hate speeches” when he professed to be a follower of Mahatma Gandhi. “I have always said that Babasaheb Ambedkar is a bigger leader than Mahatma Gandhi. Taklif zaroor hoti hai lekin apko sochne pe bhi majboor karti hai.” 

There are opportunities for youth in policy making, but the huge hurdle of dynastic politics has to be crossed first, said Kavitha. She got around this tricky bit by saying, “While the son or daughter can get a chance, the point is that they have to work hard for the people and then only can they be elected again.”