Gen Z, politics and need for change take centre stage at AT Dialogue ’26

GUWAHATI, Sept 27: Young people need to move beyond activism and participate in political and policymaking processes, while political institutions must create greater space for their participation, speakers at The Assam Tribune Dialogue ’26 said on Saturday.

The issue was discussed during a session titled ‘The Conversation: Is Indian Politics Ready for a Gen Z Upgrade’, moderated by The Assam Tribune senior sub editor Bidisha Singha. Hekani Jakhalu, an MLA from Nagaland, said young people should come forward and participate in the process of building a developed India by 2047.

“Activism is important, but it can also be dangerous. Gen Z needs to approach issues in a more systematic manner,” she said. Jakhalu said social media, despite its shortcomings, remained a powerful platform for young people to voice their views and mobilise support. “Convincing has become easy,” she said, while stressing that young people entering politics needed to understand the importance of systematic engagement.

Jakhalu was one of the first two women elected to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly in 2023. Before entering electoral politics, she worked in social impact and youth development. Anish Gawande, national spokesperson of the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP), said technology had created new opportunities for young people to enter politics and reach wider audiences.

Referring to the participation of young people in protests at Jantar Mantar, Gawande said the ability of Gen Z to mobilise and raise issues was evident. “In the present scenario in Indian politics, fundamental change is required. I want the change, the honesty and the young people ready to take challenges,” he said.

Gawande, who is also a writer and translator, said shortcomings of the past should not be used as an excuse for the present government to avoid doing better. “Ability to ask is important. We have to start demanding more now,” he said. He also spoke about his own political journey and stressed the need for greater participation of women in political life. Kunki Chowdhury, youth leader of the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), said discussions about young people entering politics should not be reduced to their age.

She said young people had historically played an important role in movements in Assam and across India. “I do not want age to be the decider to joining politics or being part of power. It is important how we view politics,” she said. Chowdhury questioned whether political leadership was changing at the same pace as society.

“As society is changing, are the leaderships changing with time as well?” she asked. She stressed the need for authenticity in politics and said political leaders should move away from the perception that they needed to have an answer to everything. “Why have we made it a culture that politicians know everything? We want to change this know-it-all attitude,” she said.

Chowdhury also called for more formal platforms for young people to participate in policymaking. “I hope the government creates more platforms for the younger generation so that young people participate and are part of policymaking,” she said.

She added that updating politics also required a change in political culture and called for women in positions of authority to participate in discussions across all issues, rather than being confined to matters concerning women.