It is said “Give him a chance, let us see what he can do for usâ€. This is what average voter says in this election season in India. I have heard people saying that even in my home town, Mangalore.
Mangalore, my home town goes to polls on 17th April 2014. I have been voting since over 50 years. As Mangaloreans say that ‘elections come and go and the people go around with their chores as though nothing has happened once the elections are over’. Because the elections always used to be held to decide which party should control the Government. Yes it is true that one dynasty’s weight has always been there on the election result.
But this time we find a change in the election strategy. The election campaign shows that it is to elect one person or none. I wonder how far it is good for a parliamentary type of Government. The words used are have a “bharath mukth†( India free ) of one particular party. It is even said that throw them out of Indian political arena. I wonder is it in the interest of any democracy. In every democracy there should be a party in power and to check them, there should be opposition. If one wants the opposition to be routed out of the political arena, then what will remain there in the political society of India will be one man rule. That is dangerous to any democracy.
When one man says that the state from where he hails has been made by him a model state or in other words “ a land of plenty and tranquility†we should have been told by him what he has done in his own state which other sattes have not done. He should have given us facts and figures which show that he is par excellent as an administrator. We have never been told what is in that state which can be an example for the rest of India. Till now no one has asked him or others what is that which makes him feel that India needs his exceptional leadership. Nobody is aware what is that model he is advocating.
I have asked people who have visited his state to explain what has he done there. They say Ahmedabad is a nice city. Lot of buildings, malls, big markets, roads and always give the picture of fun and enjoyment. But they could not state how that has transformed the rural areas or poorer section of the people. How it has uplifted people who are born in poor families or less privileged class. What is the condition of have nots and minorities. None would tell us about the power sector, water supply, irrigation, housing problem or education. My question never got a proper reply. It is a matter of great concern that average voter also does not put that question leave alone even the competing Parties. I did hear AAP giving some dismal picture of Rural areas of that state. Does this show that we are gullible or does this show our laziness to know/check the reality to take a decision. If he succeeds one can say that it is the media which got him victory. I have not heard a single discussion in the media how his model is good for India and how it has proved to be successful.
If a person who wins on his own unproven and unverified propaganda, it may lead to dictatorship or authoritarian rule. He as also his party say vote for that individual so that he can rule us. If newspapers are to be believed, one can get some sense of future set up from the way he selected candidates who have proven record of corruption, debauchery etc They were brought into the party and given tickets just because one man says they should be rehabilitated and are indispensable. Public opinion or perception was never considered in these matters. These are bad trends for the country. If through propaganda if a man is given power to rule, people who have blindly voted him to power, will be disappointed when they see the changes which are of not of their liking introduced in the country. At that time it will be too late. May be as our Prime Minister said that it might be “disastrousâ€
Hence let Indian voter be careful when he exercises his right of franchise and let him not give a chance blindly to someone whose claims have not been verified just because he says that “give me a chanceâ€.