Debate: College Students Should Not Participate in Political Protests

For The Motion: Hindol Sengupta, Shubhrastha
Against The Motion: Abhinav Chandrachud, Gurmehar Kaur
Chair: Raghav Bahl

To vote: http://www.tatalitlive.in/debate

Student protests have a long and storied history in India going as far back as the Independence Movement. Post-Independent India saw the Naxal Movement receive pan Indian student support, while many from the current generation of leaders cut their teeth as students protesting the imposition of Emergency. Globally, students have been at the forefront of protests against the Vietnam War, the general strike of 1968 in France and Tiananmen Square in China.
Considering the right to peaceful protest is guaranteed by the Indian constitution it is completely legitimate for students to protest against any political issues affecting any group of citizens.
However, students are also a particularly vulnerable group since they are still financially dependent on their families, have their entire future ahead of them but legally can be tried and convicted as adults. Not just a jail sentence but even an FIR can cause lasting damage on their careers, not to mention being dragged into court hearings for life.

A question that often arises is: are students mature and knowledgeable enough to separate facts from emotion? Opposing the establishment comes easily to rebellious teenagers, but that doesn't necessarily translate into them taking well-reasoned and informed stands.
It is also pertinent to ask whether students are capable of making the distinction between indoctrination and genuinely believing in an ideology. There is always the risk they are being used as convenient cannon fodder or dispensable pawns by cynical leaders.
Finally, higher education is (mostly) subsidised by taxpayer's money with the aim of creating a body of responsible, productive citizens. Is this goal best attained by students pursuing their academic programs, or by participating in anti-government protests?

Debate procedure:

AUDIENCE VOTE I
Before any of the speakers have had a chance to address the audience, the audience has to vote.
You can vote by registering on http://www.tatalitlive.in/debate/
This is open from ten minutes before the session starts up until just before the first speaker.

ARGUMENTS
Every speaker has 5 minutes to make their argument, each followed by a specific question by the chair. The speakers alternate, starting with the panel for the proposition.
REBUTTALAll four speakers get two minutes to make a rebuttal in turn.

AUDIENCE INTERACTION
Members of the audience get to share their views and ask questions to the panel via the 'chat' boxes. The emcee will then read out and put the questions to the relevant panellist on behalf of the audience member.

AUDIENCE VOTE II
Mid way through the audience interaction, the voting begins again. It is possible to vote for a further ten minutes.
The winner is decided by the number of people that have shifted from one point of view to the other.
For example:
Vote 1: Side A: 70% | Side B: 30%
Vote 2: Side A: 60% |Side B: 40%
The winner is Side B, because it gained 10% during the debate, even though Side A has a majority.