TWEETS DONT MAKE LEADERS

Power is not all in tweets or posts, it’s in the vote. If Gen Z really wants a
revolution, why aren’t they leading it where real change happens?

By Ishita Katoch

As reported by The Times of India on February 6, 2025, by Manash Pratim Gohain, “The voter turnout in the Delhi Assembly elections stood at 60.54%, meaning about 39.46% of voters did not cast their vote. The report also highlighted that Gen Z (ages 18–25) had lower turnout compared to older groups, even though women’s participation slightly surpassed men’s for the first time since 1993.”

Political discussions have been a daily routine in most Indian households. Elderly people turn evening tea session into a serious debate. They argue, predict poll results, and present their views with confidence. The younger generation actively participates in online debates and social causes. But when it’s time to bring real change through voting, most are nowhere to be seen.

Akshat Thakur, 21, an engineering student from Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, vents his frustration. “I feel voting is meaningless because politicians rarely keep their promises. During every campaign, the leaders make huge promises, but after getting elected, nothing happens. Problems such as unemployment, inflation, and education continue to affect us, but politicians are more concerned with winning votes than addressing genuine issues. It’s like having to choose between bad and worse.”

Akshat says he leans towards supporting an independent counsellor, like Preeti Singh from East Delhi, primarily representing the Shahdara area. She is known for her focus on local issues such as employment, education, and infrastructure development. Akshat expresses disappointment with the broader political system, citing widespread false promises, corruption, and a persistent lack of accountability.

Madhu Katoch, 62, a Delhi-based retired teacher, sees selecting a government as a vital responsibility. Despite knee pain, she never skips an election day. In her younger days, she was actively involved in community gatherings and awareness campaigns for better education and women’s rights. It disappoints her that many youth refuse to take part in governance but still complain about issues happening in the world.

If they can step out and make their choice despite health difficulties, why do so many fit and aware individuals, with better resources and information, still choose not to? And the fact that people don’t even try to get a voter ID, which shows that they aren’t serious about voting. But this criticism doesn’t sit well with many young people who feel they are making a difference, just in different ways.

Tanishka Nandwani, 23, a journalism student from Tecnia Institute of Advanced Studies, New Delhi, strongly disagrees with the claim that today’s generation doesn’t care. “Just because we don’t watch TV news doesn’t mean we’re clueless. My friends and I discuss real issues like women’s safety, student loan burdens, and internet censorship. We often discuss problems like harassment and lack of security for women. I have also joined protests to raise my voice for a safer environment.”

Tanishka said that she had joined the Youth Unemployment March at Jantar Mantar in March 2024, where students demanded better jobs. She also protested against the Indraprastha College management over fest harassment at Delhi University in October 2023. She mentioned that she supports the Bhartiya Janata Party because she believes they are making progress in building international connections; however, she is also aware that they are not adequately addressing domestic issues and are instead raising funds that primarily benefit themselves rather than the people of India.

So, does Gen Z really care about politics, or is it just online noise? They debate, share opinions, and call for change on social media, but when it comes to actual voting, many don’t even know their local representatives. If they truly want a better future, isn’t it time they take their activism beyond screens?

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