India is slated to become the world's youngest
nation by 2020. The UN (UNFPA State of the World's Population report) says 356
million (28%) of its population is in 15-24 age-group, largest in the world.
Census of India says around 48% India's
population is below 21.
65% of India's population is below 35.
While writing this, India's population is
over 1.25 billion, world's second most populous nation after China, and
projected to take over China by 2050.
A report by the US (Special 301 Report for
2015) says India's internet base is projected to be of 370 million users by
this year end, the second largest in the world. The report says 213 users will
be using mobile internet by this June.
India's teledensity is around 100 crores
(1000 million). Lowering of smartphone prices has quickened the spread of
mobile internet in India, already large enough, especially among the youth and
working-age population.
The world's second largest telecom network
is India now.
And it is projected to be the world's fastest
growing economy, overtaking the growth rate of China.
That would be in Rahul Gandhi's mind when
his office joined Twitter yesterday. But a Twitter handle @RahulGandhi or a
similar one would be far better than @OfficeOfRG.
It may be a personal decision by a
politician who is trying to be more aggressive in national politics after returning
from his leave of absence.
And as he has had not any social media
presence so far, he would have thought to test the waters first with
@OfficeOfRG. Rahul has been a favourite social media trend so far, especially
for jokes.
Even if not in his name, it is expected
from Rahul Gandhi that he will take this initiative seriously. After all,
voters, too, come from this working-age population.
The lack of action so far, on day-1 and day-2
can have their own benefits of doubt and we should be ready to give that.
Day-1 was about 'waiting for Twitter
authentication' and day-2 may be about the first day of activity, with three
tweets so far, with the latest one nine hours ago. Hope, the initiative will see
more and robust action from day-3 onwards.
If he has to take on the government, if he
has to target Narendra Modi, there are more than enough issues in Indian
politics to write about, to take care of.
It is all about going beyond the symbolic
representations this time, of a hand, of hands and of Robert Vadra.