Kashmir’s younger generation needs to wake up and come outof the virtual world. Youngsters during the past few years have become so muchaddicted to the internet that they seem to have forgotten that real worldexists beyond it.
It’s high time for the youth to come out of the illusionaryworld and get connected to the ground. They need to build their lives andcareers rather remaining hooked up to social networking sites.
Youth are our strength and they need to channelize theirenergies in a positive direction. It’s unfortunate that during the past fewyears we have not seen Jammu and Kashmir producing a sportsman of aninternational caliber. Despite crores being spent to promote sports activities,not much has been achieved.
It seems that younger generation of Kashmiris is lettingtheir people down by not taking their careers and lives seriously. They have tochoose between right and wrong rather than just getting carried away.
As elders we have got an important role to play in the livesof the young people. We cannot just act as mute spectators and allow them to goastray. It’s our duty to guide them and show them the right path. We have tomake them realize that they have to become responsible citizens and lead fromthe front.
All of us have to sit back and introspect and rectify themistakes which we have committed in the past. Kashmiri leaders need to thinkwhy they couldn’t do much for youth? Our younger generation has been renderedjobless and unemployed. Had the people who ruled J&K during all these yearsworked towards creating avenues and opportunities for the youth, today Kashmiriyouth would have been in a position to compete with the youngsters from otherstates and the regions.
The IAS topper ShahFaesal created history by topping the country’s most prestigious examination.After he topped the IAS exams many Kashmiri youth followed his footsteps asthey too yearned to achieve the feat.Now Shah Fesal has taken a plunge intopolitics and has floated his own political party. One hopes that he is able tostrike a chord with the youth and tell them that they are the future ofKashmir.
The ongoing conflict in Kashmir has made the things moredifficult for the generation next. They have been misled on one or the otherpretext. It’s unfortunate that no one has tried to guide them in a properdirection. Youth who have picked up arms have chosen death over life and since2016 Kashmiri youth have been dying at one place or another. How unfortunateand sad!
Younger generation needs to put its act together and becomea part of development rather than remaining worried about what should they dowith their lives. The Government of India is keen to help the youngsters inKashmir. The younger generation should stop running after the government jobsand think about becoming entrepreneurs. There are many centrally sponsoredschemes which are aimed at just helping the youth. They need to approach theconcerned officials and ask them about the schemes which have been announced bythe Government of India. As entrepreneurs, youth can provide jobs to others andbecome employers rather than employment seekers.
Everyday a person comes across the grievances of jobaspirants, who have applied for the various posts. The selection process isfast turning out to be an unending process in Kashmir. Many youth are justwaiting for the selection lists to get published but their never ending wait isgetting prolonged with each passing day.
The youth in Kashmir should realize that they cannot justsit and wait for things to happen. If they really want to build their livesthen they would have to make things happen. Nothing is going to come easily tothem. They need to stand on their feet to get what they deserve.
Our youth are our assets as they are the ones who can takeKashmir out of the prevailing mess. From 2009 to 2018 we had two young chiefministers, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti at the helm. Both of them remainedbusy playing politics over petty issues and couldn’t do much for the youth .
(The writer is a former journalist and member of JK YouthAlliance)