New Delhi, August 28: Congress MP and former diplomat Shashi Tharoor commended India’s democratic system during a recent address, highlighting its resilience in the face of Gen-Z protests. He stated that while the Indian system has bent under pressure, it has not broken.
Speaking at the NDTV World Anvika Summit, Tharoor compared the responses of political systems in South Asia to youth-led movements over the past decade. He noted significant protests across six major South Asian nations, starting with the 2012 Myanmar protests, which sparked youth activism in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and most recently, India.
Tharoor characterized these movements as expressions of Gen-Z anger. He emphasized that the key difference lies in how the political systems and establishments of these countries have handled unrest.
He elaborated on the outcomes of these protests, stating that in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the ruling powers failed to manage the situation, leading to their exit and paving the way for new leadership. In Nepal, a power shift occurred, albeit through new elections and the establishment of a new government, differing from the experiences in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
In Pakistan, the military intervened, which Tharoor labeled as a puppet government. Meanwhile, Myanmar experienced a complete military takeover. He argued that India stands apart due to the inherent strength of its democratic framework.
Tharoor pointed out that India’s political system has a self-correcting mechanism that ensures the voices of Gen-Z protesters are heard. Thanks to a functioning and robust democratic structure, the government was compelled to respond to the demands of young demonstrators.
His remarks underscored that India’s institutional resilience and democratic processes have enabled it to withstand pressures without collapsing, contrasting sharply with the more dramatic political upheavals seen in neighboring countries.
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