Politics is both science and art of running the government. The main two forms of government are democracy and dictatorship. In democracy, the elected representatives of the people, called politicians, run the government. The other is authoritative form of government. There is no or little individual freedom in dictatorship. People enjoy civil freedoms in democracy. If the people are uneducated democracy flops and becomes a farce. This is the case in Pakistan.
Politics and studentship are two different things. The first and foremost duty of students is acquirement of knowledge. Learning demands peace and discipline, devotion and dedication. Politics pampers the students and the youth. Misuse of freedom results in disobedience, indiscipline and lawlessness.
But nowadays students have become more political-minded. They are more noisy for their rights and careless about their duties. Most of the political and religious parties have student wings of their parties in colleges and universities. Students are directed and guided by the so-called students leaders and not be their teachers. They develop mass mentality and dictate the authorities.
Politics is an infectious disease for the students. They neglect their studies, discard classes and run wild. The student unions are now political factions. They have become hotbeds of dirty politics, houses of hostilities, slogan-mongering, election campaigning and rowdy behaviour.
Students of today are the citizens of tomorrow. Students’ political factions cut the roots of our national unity. Those who favour students’ participation in politics are over democratic or selfish for cheap popularity. The best advice for the students is to follow the middle course. They must shun everything that interferes with their studies and brings bad name for themselves and their institutions.
KAINAT ABDUL MAJEED
Karachi
