The Power of People

The Power of People.

The power of people is best understood when we approach election times. It is nakedly visible how people are managed with folded hands or greasing palms, candidates are selected on the basis of social equations and shift in voters mind and their perceived influence according to political calculations. 

 A common man, may not understand much about political calculations but he is well aware of the ability and eligibility of candidates he is going to vote. Why then we get poor law makers? Is it because we the people, make error in judgment or we are biased about our language, caste or religion? 

The answer may lie on the availability of a clean candidate or that the clean candidates who would be most eligible to represent us do not want to fall in the dirt of politics. In such scenario a common man may just feel like voting according to his various biases knowing fully well, that, this man would be of no value to him or his surroundings. It’s like going to a job examination without preparing at all, fully aware that I am not going to get the job. 

Well now the common man has an option. He can vote for none of the above. The last to last Delhi election has shown how this option was exercised and a large chunk of voters had pressed the red button. Without this option, may be Delhi would have a different political orientation. So it shows that we the people are not complete novice but we exercise a little sense of judgment. Time will tell whether this option of not selecting anyone will evolve our democracy as we are yet to experience voting behaviours of our rural population. 

On 25th January 2014 Government of India celebrated 'National Voters Day' where we had taken a pledge as proposed by Election Commission and the main points of the pledge was that the citizen will uphold the democratic traditions and dignity of free, fair and peaceful elections and to vote without being influenced by consideration of religion, race, caste, community, language or any inducement. That is fine for a policy decision and educating citizen particularly the young minds but what about open endorsement by political parties when they select electoral candidate on the basis of religious minority, or community based selection. 

Recent example is the selection of Rajya Sabha seat for Manipur and Congress party selected a candidate from minority community basing their logic on religious consideration. Where has the pledge gone? The candidate might be the most suitable that time will tell but why advertise that the party wants to give space for a particular community and not discuss the suitability. Assam is no different. Very happy to accommodate someone from 1000 Kms and keeping the wish of their masters at Delhi and deprive people's voice. 

No Pledge will do away with this practice if we are not bringing in reforms to educate the political class. Time is changing and we are able to see the uprising of people’s voice where Governments are changed, the best candidates are hotly discussed in the streets and college campus, social media is buzzed up with inputs and opinions. The need for best man is the main concern for a common man and not decision based on High Command. 

It is imperative that comparison between Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi and Arvind K are so openly made. Narendra Modi is riding a high ground on the basis of his communication skills and media management particularly new media besides having the Hindutwa tag, suitably using and shifting as need arises. Rahul Gandhi is experimenting with Congress party, he being the blue eyed boy of the Congress Party. His image makeover is falling horribly, as was witnessed in his highly publicized interview with Arnab Goswami. Now all the congressman is jumping to protect his interview. Whereas Arvind K has used the power of the people to ride a high ground and he will have to understand the dynamics of people power. He thus stole the punch line AAM ADMI from many politicians. How he and his qualified colleagues can further enhance the wave, time and actions will prove. 

Till then it’s the time for 'We The People', not only on election days but on a daily basis to evolve and work for making our lives better through a conscious decision and actions. 

Let us take a pledge to become a good, responsible and productive citizen first. We shall empower ourselves automatically.