27. The Tasks Before Youth
WHEN I SPEAK about youth, naturally I am reminded of my young days, and when we talk about the frustration of the present generation I again think of the old days. I knew the thinking of youth of my generation. That generation was inspired by certain ideals. The atmosphere was then surcharged with feelings of patriotism, sacrifice and many such noble thoughts. But when I look back, I remember that even then, there were only a few among young men who were fired with an urge to work and to make sacrifices for the country. I felt gloomy when I thought that, when the whole country was seized of a patriotic urge, the generation for whom we were struggling and fighting for was thinking of routine affairs. The gloom, however, never lasted long because I used to realise that such was the nature of young people. I found out that young men while interested in their day to day affairs, had equally strong feelings about the national affairs too. I personally, therefore, do not think there is anything basically wrong with the present generation. They may talk about certain things and move about in a particular way, but that does not mean that there is anything basically wrong with the younger people. What is necessary is that we must reach to them, talk to them, make an appeal to them, find out the best elements in them and give them programmes which can channelise their energies in a positive way. It is only then that we can lead them to achieve the goals that the nation has set before itself.
I am asked about the tasks before the younger generation. These tasks can be thought of in terms of challenges of the present day. What are these challenges? In a general way, these could be classified into four categories :
(1) economic challenges;
(ii) sociological challenges;
(iii) external challenges; and
(iv) political challenges.
When I say political challenges, I am not talking in terms of political parties, but the general challenges in the political field of the country.
