– Capt Sury Pullat
The OUTLOOK Indian magazine’s (recent) coverage of politics, election results and people who vote to govern, seems to have failed at the outset, ideologically itself. For, two-thirds exercising adult suffrage don’t crystallise the thoughts that transpired through the entire population’s mind or the suffragists as activists. It is a pity that views of those who did not vote -for various reasons- do not get reflected anywhere.
For one, they may not be trusting the system with its inherent weakness -airing of which had ended up serving hemlock to Socrates, and so opt to stay away, ignoring NOTA too as imbecile. The rebels of course will always be up in protests, following Bapuji’s dictum of non-violence, non-co-operation and disobedience as the most efficacious means for bringing opponents to knees and negotiating tables.
Ideology is a misnomer what with its failed turn-coat versions of post-war communism, socialism and capitalism, as also philosophy & meta-physics. Meta verse to fore with intrinsic haptics, and quantum mechanics surprising; relegating knowledge, perceptions, intuitions, biases, and all else. Hence this call is not to dismiss commoners from tea shops chai pe charcha, to unions, in pure politics whatever be their leanings, colour, history, coalitions etc, as these do change with times.
Perhaps simplified factors that had affected the to be decision makers at the hustings could have been TINA -there is no alternative, AIF -anti-incumbency factor and the like, many unknown to others especially columnists and observers well ensconced from realities of struggling public at large. Futile they are, as have been known, that their analytical skills, views, findings, opinionations, etc do not filter down to masses who matter as fence sitters a la swing voters.
Sadly most of educated, well informed and active ones don’t cast their votes and if indeed they do, as in the literacy rich highly opinionated state of Kerala from who Modi grabbed all the tea cups-where there is a political party for each cause and sect of religions. Renaming the state to Keralam is a priority after toddy downing discussions on blessings of coconut tree. How else can one justify their consistent voting against nation’s conscience since ’57 (electing the first ever communist government in the world) with Wayanad Congressing standing out as a sore thumb, when trucking with all and sundry under INDIA banner -abandoning UPA?- against NDA, nation-wide?!
For heaven’s -read citizens’ sake- please don’t under-estimate the discerning abilities of voters individually, in groups or en masse. For they are a matured lot, well influenced by youth past 18, as to how to and who to choose with their once in five years’ contribution to national decision making processes. Alas, that itself is cruel -to use a simple word- without any referendum, plebiscite, veto, initiative, recall and the likes of propositions, etc on offer and practised in developed countries.
Nonetheless, the voters are very much aware of the plausible malpractices of coalitions of the late aya ram gaya rams and recent Seanites, and why, how, when and what all are done for gains when legislatures are in session or between breaks. Unforgivable is the checks and balances against floor-crossing -after getting elected under one party/banner/group, defections or not!
Dangers of absolute majority, high majority and two-third majority are also well learnt by masses, and that democracy can turn dictatorial with a strong leader, though that is preferred in many countries against the vacillating practices of principle-less-ness!
Theorising is mischief and criminal to say the least, as in trying to influence the voters with biased and varied views, confusing them to tilt the scales one way or the other. Hasn’t the media -in all its forms- been deeply into it, partisanly and otherwise too, with paid news and such other coverages, finally falling flat on their faces with opinion and sample polls! What a waste of resources and time!
That Courts are slow to move and indecisiveness is something that has to be lived with! But not letting the criminal, corrupt, loony and uneducated contesting in the elections! Sadly their disqualifications and their banning including close relatives, kith and kin have to be legislated by suspect legislators themselves! All of above seems en-passant, as politics is driven by religions and money, serving those who abet while supporting and sabotaging; Indians perfecting feudocracy of the coterie!
As alternatives, Constitutional reforms are called for, so that `emergency’ and authoritarianism will not be allowed to be imposed. Ideation of idealism of getting good, driven and committed people and leaders into politics of driving the nation for greater common good, has to wait till we the people truly appreciate what `of the people, by the people and for the people’ means and how it can be translated and morphed to conjoined efforts at national and state levels, launching from the family doors.
Marex Media