Jairam Ramesh Compares Rajiv Gandhi and PM Modi Over Youth Voting Rights
A Akhter / New Delhi
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, drawing a sharp contrast between former Prime Minisyer Rajiv Gandhi’s decision to empower India’s youth with voting rights by lowering from 21 to 18.
In ‘X ‘ pointed statement titled “This is a Tale of Two PMs,” Ramesh said one prime minister had opened the doors of democracy to millions of young Indians, while the other allegedly feared the political awakening of the youth.
Ramesh recalled that the Rajiv Gandhi government amended Article 326 of the Constitution in December 1988, lowering the voting age from 21 to 18. The reform, he said, was a decisive step towards empowering young people and giving them a stake in the country’s democratic future.
Attacking further, Ramesh alleged that the Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls had been stopped since 2024, claiming that the move was intended to prevent Gen Z voters from being enrolled.
“One PM gave Gen Z the vote, the other is determined to snatch it away through underhand means,” Ramesh said.
The Congress leader accused the Modi government of dashing the hopes and aspirations of young Indians, framing the electoral roll controversy as a direct challenge to the democratic rights of first-time voters.