Disclaimer: I am only just starting to follow politics and in many ways, I am only a political novice. In my defense I have made some serious and meaningful points. The thoughts expressed in this post are a response to an email circulated claiming that the Cogress Government in Andhra Pradesh and particularly the Chief Minister Dr. Y.S.Rajashekar Reddy was involved in corruption to the tune of 7000 crores. The thoughts expressed here are entirely my own. A meaningful discussion is welcome.
I have been meaning to write about this for a long time but things at work have kept me from it. So here it goes –
A nation goes to polls, a democracy will be at test and a government will be elected when a billion people decide. Watch out people for the Elections – 2009. An ideal opening statement for an “India Shinning” speech, but alas! The truth is far from it. A nation goes to polls, but who will it elect? A democracy is at test, but don’t we already know the result? A government will be elected, but will it be better than the one in place now? Questions like these, I believe throw open a zillion other questions. Such is the uncertainty of the Indian electoral process that we may never find tangible answers to the questions I put forward earlier in this paragraph. Is there something we can do? Is there something we should do??
Politics in India is not a profession, it is like everything else in this country, a religion by itself. We have a few honest politicos but most we know are criminals, corrupt big shots who buy their way into and out of everything and people who will say and do anything to stay in power for another 5 years. These characteristics are not just found in a single politician or a party for that matter, these are the characteristics of an entire System. These are the characteristics of a system that has been allowed to rot and deteriorate, the qualities of a system that has been deprived of the best minds of the nation because each is absorbed in furthering their own selfish interests and in the mindless and blind pursuit of money. The characteristics of such a system will more often than not pass on to its constituents no matter how small or big they may be.
Indians, I believe are very judgmental and the Indian of today craves for sensationalism. The illustration for which you might have seen in the media or for that matter in our daily lives. Let me try and explain. “Corruption to tune of 700 Crore in the Congress government in AP” – Bang!! Debates are triggered, sms’s sent and emails flood your inbox discussing the ways in which this un heard of act was conceived and executed. “Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitely have a fight over party affairs” – It is breaking news!! This craving for sensationalism has allowed potentially insignificant news to seep through into the media and has left behind real burning issues and debatable topics. This insignificant news termed as breaking news and telecast live on our television sets more often than not influences our decision making when we go to vote.
Why do we have to discuss corruption in a political party or a rift in a party that should have no weight? Why can’t we discuss the political ideologies and philosophies of our leaders to be? Why can’t debate the issues that are of prime importance? Why is that a party spokesperson can at best, come with a “Party B has led our country to economic turmoil” in reply to a question of Party A’s economic policy when it comes to power? Why does the election have to be decided on how much reservation is allocated to a BC/SC/ST or which State is formed where? Why can’t we debate our internal security situation and find tangible solutions? Why don’t we read party manifestos and election manifestos which describe in great detail the policies to be implemented when a party comes to power?
It is important now, more than ever, to stand up and be counted. It is time to cast our vote. It is high time the Indian people awaken and use their power to elect their government. All this sweet talk sounds good on television and often the ways and means to achieve it is ignored.
Let us not make a decision on who we give our precious vote to on the basis of news we hear(that often has no credibility) in the different forms of media. Let us not vote for a person because he or she is contesting on the ticket of a party that we favor. Let us start doing things we haven’t done in the last 5 decades. Let us go back to our drawing boards, research, and verify the credentials, the work and the backgrounds of each of the contestants from our respective constituencies and let us vote for a person who we feel has the will and the zeal to work towards the betterment of the Indian society.
The purpose of this entire post is only to encourage people to play a more meaningful role in the electoral process. It is to encourage people to vote for and elect deserving candidates to public offices irrespective of their party affiliations, caste or creed. It is also to discourage people from spreading news that has no credibility, that cannot be proved and that has the potential to mislead other people.
This piece is also to illustrate that Corruption, lack of transparency and inability of the governments to act effectively are attributes of the “Political System” and not a single party. Let us work towards understanding this problem and slowly try to get rid of it.
Come April, let us make an informed, responsible and sensible decision. Let us give some meaning to the phrase – “The World’s Largest Democracy”.
