A BILLION VOTES
April 21st, 2009 by | Posted in Political Comments Off on A BILLION VOTES
Email | 
Print This Post
|
I have been viewing the various programs related to the subject of the Indian Elections. Various learned persons have expressed their views on CNN-IBN and Times News TV channels which are thought provoking. And then there are various advertisements asking all eligible voters to cast their vote in exercising their rights to select a viable and stable government. I agree – yes we all must cast our votes but whom to vote for – is a million dollar question. Agreed – that we should not vote for contestants with a criminal background. But still there are so many other factors that are agitating one’s mind.
Gone are the days when the prospective netaji’s used to visit the city, town, street and Nukkad (Corner) talk to the people and promise roti kapda and makaan (food, clothing and dwelling) – win the elections go to their five star comfort and come back again to the heat and dust after five years to repeat the same set of promises which they had never kept. But now the political scenario has changed considerably and is a different ball game altogether. People are now aware of what they say and what they mean. Mudslinging has become the order of the day – there are accusations and counter accusations. Thanks to the TV Channels we have watched the US elections and the difficulties faced by the two parties and the efforts made by them in wooing the voters. There was no mudslinging. The manifestos, the programs, the policies discussed on the podium were for the benefit for the public at large with a view to achieve economic stability, medical care and food for all. In a successful democracy only a two party rule is plausible – and those mooting for a third front or a fourth front in India are doing it to achieve their own selfish ends in utter disregard of the good of the country.. This is a situation created only to gain a vantage bargaining position in the post poll scenario.
I for one – am a newspaper and TV news addict – can watch news for hours at end. I have been listening to the comments of political stalwarts who have the experience in politics for four to five decades- but tragically they are bereft of any decency and behavioral decorum. Let me just try to analyze who said what and what he meant and then I also question them and give my readers an insight into their mental capabilities.
Shri L.K.Advaniji said in the Parliament house on 22 July 2008 – ” Yeh jo aadmi baitha hai Manmohan Singh yeh bada Nikamma admi hai” Honorable Shri Somnath Chatterjee, the then Speaker of the Lok Sabha had time and again warned the members of the august house that the proceedings of the house are being telecast live and are being viewed all over the country and maybe abroad also – but to no avail. I adore this man – because with his charismatic personality he controlled the “gentlemen” in the house. But his request was not heeded.
Shri Advaniji – if you cannot respect the present incumbent to the post of Prime Minister, How and why do you aspire to be one?
The BJP Vice President, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, reacting to the demonstrations against politicians in the wake of Mumbai terror attacks, said,
“Some women wearing lipstick and powder have taken to streets in Mumbai and are abusing politicians spreading dissatisfaction against democracy. This is what terrorists are doing in Jammu and Kashmir. Instead of saying Pakistan murdabad, they are saying politician murdabad.”
Shri Naqviji – After all this humbug and your above statement – how do you expect educated women to vote for you or your party members? Please reconsider. At least I don’t think so.
Shri V.K.Malhotra at the Delhi blast site on 27 Sep 2008 -Malhotraji stated that a war has been waged against the country and that the UPA government was not capable of handling the situation. He further added that -“inko bolo Kursi chord dein main dekhta hoon”(Please tell them to give up power and give me a chance)..
Malhotraji how can you be so sure that you can control further occurrence of such blasts? The perpetrators have struck at will up till now. Do you have a mechanism to prevent such occurrences?
Shri Rajnath Singh on becoming Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (28 October 2000 – 8 March 2002) -“Ab main Hindutva ko badhava doonga” (Now I will uplift the Hindutva agenda).
Shri Rajnath Singh- The Hindus are enjoying – they work – they pray and they get three square meals a day. So what else “Badhawa” are you thinking of? Please forget this Hindutwa Banner – you can construct roads in UP – create an Industrial belt where land is available – and I can assure you that hundreds of acres in UP can be converted into the industrial belt – which will give economic boost to the State and the country and create thousands of jobs for the unemployed
Will you by doing this Hindutwa card alone solve the unemployment problem, medicare problem, housing problem, provision of roads and you think other essential issues will be solved by themselves? Or are you trying to deprive thousands of people of their livelihood like Mamta Bannerjee did in Kolkatta?
Varun Gandhi – His statement in Pilibhit is unprintable. He should never have indulged in such petty politics. With all respects to his great grand papa – the most Honorable Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehruji – aptly called Chacha Nehru – a person par excellence,( whom I had the privilege of meeting just the days prior to his untimely demise) Varun should have learned something from him and conducted himself in a more decent manner.. I would say here that his action is extremely deplorable. – this a secular country and any person – irrespective of any religion – has the liberty to do in what he believes. It is most likely that he will park himself on a small sofa like Praveen Togadia, perhaps sometime in the foreseeable future.
I for one would like to vote for the younger generation.
I welcome your comments.
Tags: Indian Election 2009
This is an eye-opener for all of us, who are taking voting as an ancestoral practice..not to forget, what was promised earlier and the dedication of our politicians has changed much faster than time. Its time for the young generation to not just go-ahead and vote, but yes vote considering your selfish needs. When we pay so much from every bit of our hard earned money into the pockets of our politicians, why should we be deprived of the benfits??
A very interesting and thought provoking write-up.
A very thought provoking article …..it’s so true we need to vote but for whom to vote….but then we must vote …first congrats on the blog and love the punchline ….Whatever may be the reason but we must go and vote because there are still some good people in the political scenario and all we do is talk in our drawing rooms but don’t exercise our right …because unless we give people a chance we will not know …after all life is all about taking risks…..so let’s vote
They actually said THAT…like THAT… i read the quotes in disbelief, these are the “leaders” we are supposed to look up to. Here we are, trying to teach our toddler the three R’s; Respect for self, respect for others and Responsibility for our actions and then there are these brilliant leaders!
This article tells me i really should be paying closer attention to hte news!
Unlike the previous commenters, I’m not shocked by these quotes, because I am now used to them. That doesn’t diminish the breathtaking callousness, of course.
That said, I think the opposite on the two party idea. Governments should be coalitions. Finely shredded. That is the only way minority rights will survive in this penchant for impunity.
Our problem is not that there are too many parties, but that there are only two parties on the National level with a wide enough scope.
By now we are all too familiar with the callous and irresponsible way our ministers sometimes conduct themselves. Probably live telecast is what goads them on in behaving so, instead of curbing this instinct. I feel Indian Democracy is still going through the process of churning-mixing-sifting. Our political parties lack clear and solid ideologies and plans of action and, till that happens, the emergence of a third front seems like a welcome happening. BJP had a chance at becoming a truly national party but, they have squandered it away. Any party aspiring to take the center-stage in India, will have to realize and accept the fact that they can do so only by being truly democratic and secular. When that happens, a two party formula may work fine here too! Slowly, we’ll learn, I’m sure! I must say, you have analysed the situation very correctly.