At a time when the Gen-G rebellion is causing turmoil in Nepal, we are presenting the views of such personalities, who are the first signatories of socialist thinkers and democratic leadership in Nepal, whose lives and conduct sowed the seeds of democracy in Nepal's politics and psychology.

BP Koirala's article titled 'Youth in My Eyes', published a month and a half before his death, expresses strong optimism towards the youth. This article by BP, published in 'Youth' monthly, year 4, issue 9-12, 2038 Paush-Chaitra, was provided to us by analyst Rajendra Maharjan:  I have previously commented on the youth in 'Youth'.  I have generally divided the youth into two categories. One type, those who are young only by age, and the other type, those who are not only dedicated to an ideal or move forward with a principle, I have called them 'youths'.  Secondly, I have often addressed the enthusiasm and movement of the youth all over the world and in Nepal as well. What the youth think is that we can do anything and because we are young, our thinking is different, we are a special class. That is why they have a desire for priority in everything but a complete indifference towards accountability.... That is why young people are found among the followers of the two opposing camps of any movement.  Now, if I go to Britain, there are young people who come to beat up people of Asian and African origin, in America too, everywhere. It was the young people who used to disrupt Hitler's meetings. This gave Hitler the opportunity to bring the army forward under the pretext of maintaining peace and order. In this way, the young people helped in bringing fascism.

In Nepal too, it is the young people who are promoting fascist attitudes, showing black flags, not allowing people to speak, smearing black on their faces, etc. I do not believe that they become all-rounders as soon as they become young people. Yes, they have passion, enthusiasm and passion. But for that reason, they are also considered elements of danger. I am saying this from the experience of my own country. Whenever there has been a counter-revolution or a possibility of it, it has happened through the youth, and the counter-revolutionary elements have taken the youth into their own hands. 

On the other hand, there are also such youth, even if you look at the statistics since 2017, you can see that they have even given their lives for the country. That is why everyone cannot be put on the same level. As soon as they become young, everything is fine, it does not mean that they do not need any kind of restrictions because of their age. Despite all this, I have spoken to the youth in a relaxed manner. 

The question is – what should the youth do in Nepal? What should the young people do? Columbia University had called me to speak on this very subject. I said it more as a critic – wherever progress has started, the youth have joined and brought a reaction. There was a big movement in 1960, and at that time it was led by Columbia University. But it had no benefits, it had many disadvantages. In every part of the world, wherever someone tries to act against the national interest or to cause instability, the youth have taken the lead and played such a role. I said, it is not just about Colombia, what is the student movement happening everywhere? You students of this university have made such a big movement, but what has been the lasting contribution? On the international level or on the national level? You want to divide society by following some reactionary and raising various hypocritical slogans.... I am seeing that the youth are working on an impulse as soldiers of a thoughtless movement, and democracy is not a system that can be established on impulse. Democracy is not only about listening to even the most balanced opponents, but also about saying 'yes' if the opponents are right. This kind of mentality is expected by the democratic movement. However, the same thing is not true of young people – listening to others’ perspectives, listening to opponents’ opinions, understanding that there is more than one side to anything, listening to criticism.

If we say that there is only one opinion or side to any political, economic, or social issue, that is a dictatorial attitude. No, it is democracy only if we understand that there is another side. However, it is difficult for young people to accept this. The feelings of young people may be good, but their enthusiasm, lack of experience, and eagerness to achieve something quickly make it difficult to understand. The reality of life is that the processes of social change do not move quickly, and this is the reason for the impatience of young people. 

So I have only one thing to say to the youth – if the democratic side is right, then two or three things must be accepted: If the political process is not right, then other processes of economic or social change will also not be right, and that political process is valid only if it is achieved democratically, the change is meaningful, otherwise it will only happen for a short time, and the work of integrating the opponents cannot be done. These are the things that the democratic movement should pay primary attention to.

Another thing is that there are obstacles everywhere in Nepal. A young businessman recently agreed with this. He said – We have an idea, we are determined to contribute to the development work, yet from top to bottom, there are only obstacles and opposition everywhere. Why such obstacles? He said that the decision-making process in Nepal is not democratic, because of which there is no trust in anything, no matter what is done, it will be broken. Therefore, the youth of Nepal must accept the belief that any economic, social, political change can only happen through a democratic process. I am not saying this for any particular party, I am saying this in relation to the democratic movement. I want – the youth are the police of democracy and for that to happen, they especially have to be vigilant. 

Another thing is the responsibility or accountability that the youth have to bear. I have also said at home – even if old people are irresponsible, they can because they have no future. However, the young people have a future, so they cannot be irresponsible. I can no longer bear much suffering, so I can say that I will do whatever I want.

However, those young people, who have already acquired educational qualifications, cannot say that. They must bear responsibility. Be it in social life, family life or political life, wherever and in whatever life, they must be fully committed to ideals and principles. Even if the old people do not bear so much responsibility, they will not cause much harm to the society. Even if people above the age of fifty are exempted from doing any kind of political or social work, it will not cause much harm to the society.

However, if you are told that you cannot do any work for the youth between the ages of 25 and 45, you will be degraded in every field, and society will suffer a great loss. Sometimes, for the same reason, I have even jokingly told my sons at home – I am your father, I am old, I can do it, but you young people cannot do that. You have to take responsibility. I can even retire. 

It is also said that the elderly should set an example. The elderly should also fulfill their responsibility towards the family. Whether the children eat or not, that should also be seen. I say – this is not the responsibility of the elderly, those who have no future, they only worry about themselves. Society should also give a break to such elderly people. 

However, a young person is not just an individual but the future of the society. If the young people are not responsible, the society will deteriorate, the country will deteriorate. Youth should be concerned about the future.  A few days ago, someone said that people over 40 are useless. This is just the youth trying to get concessions. Look at India, there is a youth organization founded by Sanjay Gandhi. Those youth are quite dynamic. However, I do not think they have any direction. So what I am trying to say is that by taking more concessions, it cannot be said that they are taking more rights than the average citizen of the country and the youth should understand that duties are more than rights. I am not saying that the youth should take a stand on something or not. 

In my view, the identity of a special youth is determined by things like receptivity to new ideas, social values, awareness of national and international events, situations and their effects. I find the youth indifferent in such matters. For example, when I talk about marriage, I find the youth more liberal or traditionalist than people of my age. This situation is even more critical in India and it is not that it is not the case in Nepal. So how can I believe that people over 40 are useless and that only young people are the bearers of change and everything? 

I think about new ideas without keeping my mind intact, that's why I don't feel like I'm behind those young people. Even if a young person has physical strength, if he is mentally weak and cannot give any new ideas, then where is the meaning of his youth? But, in an old person, even if his body is weak, his mind is alert, loyal to his ideals, ready to endure every hardship, ready to bear responsibility and ready to give and accept new ideas, if he is not stubborn, how can he be dismissed as old, a person from another era?

When some of our young students talked to me, I said some time ago, there is a generation gap between you and us. I said, the events happening in the world, the current events in Poland, affect me the most. But you only look at the headlines. I read and watch new poems, new paintings, and am interested in them. I am more aware of who has said what and where about new ideas. If there is a generation gap, am I not lagging behind you? I do not feel that I am lagging behind most young people. On the contrary, I do not find our young people developing their views, perspectives, or attitudes properly on any subject. 

I want young people to progress, be patient and tolerant, increase democratic feelings and behavior, be more responsible and say that they are now accountable to us, that the youth of Nepal should set an example, that there are more sensitive, more receptive, more committed, and more capable young people here than in European countries. 

I also say this – the youth should think beyond the seriousness of the problem that they are responsible, even for democracy – now that I am responsible for democracy, none of the young people have taken that responsibility. They say – we only have passion, there is no need to continue to bear responsibility and we do not even have to think. Why don't they think? The old and the young may not think anything else. But the youth should think even more. As soon as they understand that the burden has fallen on our shoulders, they will start understanding everything. Such thinking and awareness of responsibility will bring the youth down from the attraction of extremism to the real ground. People often tell me – your youth do not understand. What can they do without understanding and without thinking? I want them to think, understand and act. I say – let them change their mindset, increase their sense of responsibility and be more capable of facing challenges. 

Yes, not only here, but also in India, how many ardent leftists have come from the family of the accountant, from the privileged class, whose parents teach them with a hammer and a spade, they have not come to that. Those who know that I should study and take care of my parents – they have not come. Only from the privileged class have ‘radicals’ come. In India, the sons of millionaires have come, while here too, only the sons of capitalists and privileged people have come.

And today, with time, a distortion is coming, a distorted culture is coming, like hippie culture, of various kinds. Another cultural encroachment is happening. Music is also of a similar shocking kind and noise is called music. Literature is also of a similar kind, not of a serious kind. In this way, the distorted side of the West is influencing the youth of the privileged class as a whole. Today, there is so much development in art, science and literature, but the attention of such young people is not attracted to that, but to the ordinary things of the lower level. And it is the young people who come from such a ‘privileged class’ who are being manipulated by foreign powers. Here too, it is the young people who come from such a class who are involved in the most irresponsible activities. 

But, there is another side – many young people in the democratic movement come from the middle class, lower middle class and most of them from the neglected class that the current system has neglected. I think these democrats can fight those ten or fifteen percent radicals (extremists), who have also received protection. But they must be loyal and committed to the principle. Not by being lazy. Young people should not say ‘let’s eat hot and die quickly’. If they do that, they will not be democratic young people. And if young people stop the thinking process, they will always end up doing wrong things.