At NDTV Yuva, Young Leaders' No Holds Barred Showdown On Gen-Z Issues

Young leaders faced-off on stage at NDTV Yuva today as they discussed the country's politics and its relevance to Gen-Z. Actor Rhiya Ahir, who came into the spotlight during the protest over the NEET paper leak organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CPJ) recently, said that she belongs to a generation that is willing to question the old systems that she doesn't believe in.

"Our generation is willing to question all systems we don't believe in. We can't always do that from home because the people in charge are far away in parliament or elsewhere," she said.

"So we take to the streets and when we do, people notice that students have come out on their own. The very fact that students were on the streets raised a question - and held an answer - as to why young people had to take to the streets instead of being in schools, colleges or institutions," she said.

She said the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union Education Minister felt like an "early Diwali" had come.

Responding to her, Sidharth Yadav, the national media co-convenor of the BJP, said the "early Diwali" she spoke of was felt in Jharkhand too.

"In Jharkhand, students were protesting on the streets and getting beaten up. They protested for 20 days yet Rhiya ji said nothing. In Punjab, there are 31,000 teacher vacancies and schools are in dire straits. Punjab is a state most affected by drugs yet one doesn't see any student protest there. In Kerala, water cannons are used on students outside the assembly and not a single tweet or word is uttered," Yadav said, and pointed out what he called "hypocrisy regarding the nation's youth, where we speak up only when it suits our political convenience, seek the limelight and build a narrative around it."

"This must be abandoned. The youth in any part of the country are the country's youth and their issues are everyone's issues. It is unfortunate that the issues are being selectively chosen," Yadav said.

The actor retorted that she had made many posts on the Jharkhand protest on her Instagram and the BJP leader had not seen those before he commented on the matter.

Ayush Nambiar, Global Managing Director of the Nambiar Group of Companies, took the discussion towards India's standing on the world stage today when compared to what it was over a decade ago.

"Think back 12 or 13 years before the Gen-Z era to when we were in school. We used to create PowerPoint presentations where we had to showcase an image of India to others. Back then the image of India often featured a malnourished child - someone starving, with their ribs visible. Today, 12 years later, that is no longer the first image that comes to mind," the young businessman said.

He said the perspective of India that has been cultivated over the last 12 years has definitely changed.

"When I travel abroad to the Middle East or the UAE, I get the opportunity to showcase business prospects in a straightforward manner. Observing that opportunity, I can tell you about the respect Indians command today," he said.

Anish Gawande, a young spokesperson of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), alluded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and pointed out that the country "is above a single leader, a single individual and its reputation cannot be built or tarnished by one person."

"Whether Gen-Z is right or wrong, who does all this ultimately favour? Tell me. Who, so far, has been able to shape the future and integrity of this country? This country stands above any single leader, any single party and any single individual. For anyone to believe that India's reputation can be built or tarnished by just one person is foolish, and that is precisely the mindset we must counter," Gawande added.

NDTV Yuva is a vibrant platform where India's brightest minds, boldest voices and most inspiring change makers come together to engage, exchange and empower. With a strong legacy of thought leadership and youth-centric dialogue, it continues to evolve as a space that reflects the heartbeat of a young India.