Voting a Dilemma?

Another somber day passed by, another Maoist attack, another painful train tragedy, another high level enquiry, another assurance of compensation with an employment guarantee for the kin’s of the deceased (new promotion offer added in the vote package) and the bickering in the Indian political circles continues… Sometimes in life tragic and unexpected events happen so much so in a flash that it diminishes the very fundamentalist approach with which we lead our life day in and day out. As good things come in small packages, bad things too come in mega packages and we sink into depression even before the realization of it hits us. Nevertheless life moves on with time and so do our pains and sorrows and who knows what the next day has to offer. If you are wondering what is this philosophical drama all about? It is about the train derailment tragedy, executed audaciously by the Maoists in Jhargram in which many lives were lost and more than that, many families driven to the depth of sorrows and despair. This brings in mind one of Christ’s quotes “Forgive them for they know not what they do”, but for how long will I be able to peach this reluctant saying, God knows….

In spite of all this we need to move forward and try and restore peace and harmony amidst the volatile and disoriented atmosphere. 

The only right that we the people of India reserve according to the Indian constitution is the right to VOTE. Yes Vote, but whom? Corrupt leaders? Leaders with criminal backgrounds? Or Leaders who play petty vote bank politics in the name of development and education? For the record let us get it straight, in the last general elections and probably in the last two decades we did not have a single educated leader who was eligible to get elected with exception to our present honorable Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Mr. Rajiv Gandhi to some extent. 

Getting the facts straight, out of 1.1 billion population in India 714 million people are registered to vote, which is roughly 65 percent of the population, fair enough isn’t it? I would say yes, considering the fact that out of the 65 percent only 45 – 50 percent vote on an average and to add to it out of the 45 -50 percent who actually vote 25 to 30 percent on an average are the field workers (better known as supporters) of the 300 plus political parties which the election commission has registered and given the rights to fight an election (absolutely democratic to the extreme). So to sum it up all in the viewer’s perspective, only 20 percent of the common man out the staggering 1.1 billion population vote? Keeping in view the mathematics of it all now you would say, “Hang on, that is actually not enough, we need more people more of the aam admi (common man) to register and stack up the numbers in the vote fest”. That is exactly what our Gujarat CM Narendra Modi is vying for, by making voting mandatory for each and every person who is above 18 years of age in the state.

Before making the rest of the population who are above 18 years of age, liable to vote, let us ponder over the fact, why does the 15 out of the 65 percent who are registered and liable to vote do not exercise the franchise which is at their disposal? When election time dawns in, you are asked by all political parties and their rallies (featuring all the stars who descend down or ascend up from hell), new channels and every possible medium of communication pledging and begging in all possible forms to vote, vote and vote (as if there is no other work but to dwell, eat, sleep and drink only vote). When the Election Day arrives before going to the polling booth you would set up your mind or possibly be allowed to pre-program yourself by any political party, on which political leader of the deemed parties you would vote for. Here comes the irony of it all, how many of us keep track of the local leader of any political party for whom we would like to caste our precious vote for? Not many or rarely isn’t it, we always see the icon of the party and vote, and invariably fail to get the larger picture. What is the need to track such local leaders whom we see once in a full moon? Rhetorical in it’s true sense. What is the criterion that we should search for in any leader in order to vote for him or her? They should be well educated, well mannered, we should try and foresee that they will be able to bring in some subtle changes (if not wholesome) to our constituency and above all should look smart and be our generation kind of leader, but what we get instead of the near perfect virtues, is a political goon who believes, to be a leader is his sole birthright and can stand in an election even if they are locked up in a prison with all the luxury at their footsteps. 

The political parties who bring such goons into the fray drastically diminish their chances of getting elected and in turn demoralize the general public to vote. So asking the question formally, do you think increasing the voter registrations will affect the voter turnout in anyway? No, educated, professional and economically capable India will not vote until such leaders are projected which will only continue to make a mockery of the elections symbolizing democracy. If a leader cannot develop and shine their own constituency, do you believe they will be able to develop India in any better way? These questions keep haunting us whenever elections knock at our doorsteps and we as a mute spectator observe the same sequence of events unfold precisely again and again. Why do we ignore independent candidates? Madhu Koda was an exception all right, but it is probably time that we start mustering support for them. Young and smart India needs to come forward and make a statement so that everyone gets transfixed by them and most importantly perform what they promise. We do not need overnight restructuring, we do not need extravagant promises and we certainly do not want our priceless vote ending up in the wrong hands which sets us back in time, all we need to see is action speaking for itself.

STANDUP AND GET YOURSELF COUNTED. INDIA’S FUTURE IS IN OUR HANDS. YOUR VOICE IS OUR VOICE IT’S THE NATION’S VOICE.