For a stronger, fairer, and more humane India.
By Pius Varghese Pullikottil
At a time when divisions grow, India’s youth must rise — united in purpose, guided by humanity.
A Nation at a Turning Point
India stands at a decisive moment in history — a time when youth participation in politics in India can redefine the nation’s future.
We are among the youngest nations in the world — more than 65% of our citizens are under 35 of age — yet our collective energy is often wasted in divisions of religion, caste, language, and state.
It is time to rise above these walls. Our youth — girls and boys alike — must lead a new national awakening grounded in humanity, unity, and integrity.
The Foundation: Freedom with Respect
Our Constitution guarantees every Indian the right to practise any faith freely.
This freedom is sacred — and so is our duty to protect each other’s rights.
Those who provoke hatred in the name of religion, caste, or language for political gain betray the very idea of India.
True nationalism is not loud; it is compassionate.
It is seen in empathy, in fairness, and in the ability to stand with truth even when it is inconvenient.
Honest Politics, Humane Governance
Politics was meant to serve, not rule.
India now needs educated, ethical, and service-minded individuals who enter public life with humility and commitment.
Support parties and movements that promote honesty, inclusiveness, and job creation — not corruption, nepotism, or “Gharaneshahi” that shuts doors on merit and youth participation.
Democracy must be a space for talent and integrity, not family privilege or inherited power.
Good governance is not about slogans — it is about systems that deliver.
When youth step into politics and administration with moral courage, India will rediscover the purpose of democracy.
The Four Pillars of Democracy
A just republic stands on four great pillars — Legislature, Executive, Judiciary, and the Press.
Each must be strengthened by competence and integrity.
Above them stands the conscience of the nation — Politics guided by morality.
Educated youth must enter every pillar: lawmakers, officers, judges, journalists — and as citizens who hold leaders accountable.
Equality, Empathy, and Inclusion
India cannot progress by leaving the weak behind.
Policies that uplift the poor, oppressed, and marginalised must continue until a level field is created.
Affirmative measures such as reservations remain vital until equality in education and opportunity becomes a living reality.
Equality and empathy are not opposites — they complete each other.
Only when every citizen stands with dignity can true merit and national pride grow.
Bridging the Divide
The widening gap between the rich and the poor is a silent crisis.
Millions still face hunger, malnutrition, and homelessness even as cities glitter.
Development must not mean exclusion — it must mean opportunity and security for all.
A humane economy rewards effort and ensures that no Indian is left behind.
Voting — The Power of the Conscience
The ballot is mightier than the slogan.
India’s democracy rests on the sacred principle of universal adult franchise — the equal right of every citizen to vote, regardless of caste, religion, or gender.
When the educated and honest vote in large numbers, democracy cleanses itself.
Each vote is not just a right — it is a responsibility to protect the Republic from corruption and extremism.
Integrity in Public Life
Integrity is not a speech — it is a habit.
Regular audits, transparent governance, and ethical training must be the foundation of public service.
Fair remuneration and social security are equally vital; honesty cannot survive where life is insecure.
A nation that respects its honest workers will never run out of good people to serve it.
Maharashtra: A Mirror for the Nation
Maharashtra — once a symbol of enterprise, education, and progressive politics — today stands at a crossroads.
Home to Mumbai, the nation’s financial capital, the state reflects both India’s promise and its problems.
Once admired for visionary leadership and strong cooperative movements, Maharashtra today faces mounting debt, unemployment, crumbling infrastructure, and growing moral decay. Its decline is not inevitable — it is the consequence of years of corruption, neglect, and divisive politics.
1. Mounting Debt and Fiscal Strain
- The state’s debt has crossed ₹9.32 lakh crore, nearly 19% of its Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).
- Rising interest payments and administrative expenses restrict funding for health, education, and social welfare.
- Fiscal mismanagement and unchecked borrowing have limited long-term planning and investment in people.
2. Unemployment and Job Insecurity
- Youth unemployment (ages 15–29) stands at 8–10% in urban areas, with over 30 lakh job seekers registered in state employment exchanges.
- Despite industrial growth, job creation has stagnated, leading to under-employment and migration.
- Even educated youth — diploma holders and engineers — are often hired as “trainees” or “executives” on temporary terms, with poor pay and no protection.
3. Contract Employment and the Vanishing Permanent Worker
- Government departments, hospitals, and public corporations increasingly rely on contract or outsourced staff, depriving them of job security, provident fund, or benefits.
- In private industries and factories, over 60% of workers are now non-permanent — apprentices, trainees, or casual labour — often doing identical work for lower pay.
- The strength of permanent employees is declining every year; new permanent recruitment has almost stopped.
4. Disguised Designations and Exploitation of Educated Youth
- Diploma holders and engineers are frequently employed under titles like “Executive,” “Team Leader,” “Assistant Manager,” or “Team Coach” to perform manual or technical work once done by permanent labour.
- These designations make them appear white-collar but strip them of protection under labour laws.
- They remain excluded from unions and social benefits, creating a new class of insecure and overworked youth.
5. Forced Resignations and Lay-offs
- In the IT, BPO, and EdTech sectors, employees are often coerced to resign voluntarily to avoid legal retrenchment benefits.
- Experience and relieving letters are withheld unless they comply, leaving workers with no grievance mechanism.
- The absence of strong labour oversight has made this practice alarmingly common.
6. Healthcare in Distress
- A CAG audit found that 70% of planned health institutions remain incomplete, with major gaps in rural healthcare infrastructure.
- Maharashtra spends just 4.2% of its budget on health — far below the ideal benchmark.
- Shortage of doctors, delayed salaries for contractual staff, and lack of specialist care have eroded public confidence in government hospitals.
7. Education and Teacher Shortages
- Over 30,000 teacher posts remain vacant in Zilla Parishad and municipal schools.
- Thousands of teachers, especially in aided institutions, face delayed or irregular payments.
- Over 5,000 unrecognised schools operate without affiliation, qualified staff, or basic facilities.
- Learning outcomes remain low; in rural areas, more than 40% of students in Class 5 cannot read Class 2-level texts (ASER 2023).
8. Crime and Law-and-Order Decline
- Maharashtra recorded 47,381 crimes against women in 2022–23, one of the highest in the country.
- Conviction rates remain below 40%, showing weaknesses in investigation and justice delivery.
- The rise in cybercrime, narcotics, and economic offences points to moral and administrative decay.
9. Drug Smuggling and Addiction
- Coastal regions like Raigad, Uran, and Nhava Sheva have become key entry points for international drug trafficking.
- Synthetic drugs such as MDMA, LSD, and mephedrone have flooded urban markets, endangering youth health and safety.
- The menace is sustained by unemployment, social frustration, and weak enforcement.
- Stronger awareness, rehabilitation, and anti-smuggling coordination are urgently required.
10. Infrastructure and Flood Mismanagement
- Despite annual budget allocations worth thousands of crores, flooding, potholes, and drainage failures return each monsoon.
- Projects are delayed, funds underutilised, and relief often reaches farmers and citizens too late.
- Maharashtra’s inability to manage recurring disasters reflects deeper issues of corruption and planning failure.
11. Political Instability and Administrative Paralysis
- Frequent government changes, horse-trading, and defection politics have led to instability and loss of public trust.
- No local body elections have been held since 2021–22 in most corporations, undermining grassroots democracy.
- Bureaucratic hesitation and political rivalry have slowed governance and public service delivery.
“Maharashtra’s decline is not a failure of its people — it is a failure of political morality and administrative vision.
For the youth, this is not a reason for despair; it is a reason to rebuild.”
Maharashtra’s example is a mirror for all of India. It shows how political greed, corruption, and neglect of human values can destroy even a strong and educated society — and how renewal must begin with honest, fearless, and compassionate youth entering public life.
Freedom with Responsibility
True freedom is not doing what we want — it is doing what is right.
India’s strength lies in its diversity, but only unity in purpose can turn that diversity into power.
Youth must protect the nation’s soul — by living its values: non-violence, tolerance, compassion, and truth.
The Call to India’s Youth
India’s rebirth will come through its youth — educated, fearless, and humane. Genuine progress depends on youth participation in politics in India, where integrity, compassion, and courage replace corruption and fear. Enter public life not for privilege but for purpose.
Rebuild India with fairness, honesty, and love. See humanity in every Indian, and the nation will see its greatest strength in you.
The dream of a united, humane India is not distant — it begins when we act together.
“Let us build an India where honesty is honoured, humanity is lived, and unity is our greatest faith — an India of Unity and Harmony with Humanity.”
— Pius Varghese Pullikottil
About the Author
Pius Varghese Pullikottil, Co-Founder and National General Secretary of the Sanay Chatrapati Shasan Party, works alongside Professor Namdevrao Jadhav, Co-Founder and National President, to promote ethical governance, youth participation, and humane development.
He writes on democracy, integrity in politics, and the role of youth in building a united and compassionate India.