With an eye on 2014: Expectations

The wait for 2014 General elections is now ON.

The battle lines are now clear. BJP couldn’t have got any better day than Friday, the 13th, to announce its poster boy, Narendra Modi as the PM candidate. Yes, even symbolically, it goes to show what their candidate stands for. They said, it’s the general mood of the country, some sort of “wave” which is engulfing the length and breadth of our country to accept the Vibrant Gujarat CM as the next Prime Minister of a Democratic, Secular, Republic India, a country, whose fabric is intrinsically carved and filled, with the diversified elements from extremes spanning all across its geographical identity.

Will he become the PM?

Without using too many clichés, like what our beloved politicians read out from their speeches, prepared by professional teams specializing in churning out many of them to appease the masses. The requirement is of course due to the buoyancy that speeches bring, figurative promises, enthusiastic approaches and the charismatic appeals that the politicians try to imbibe in the hordes of listeners, gathered around to see their neta. It’s altogether a different story as to how sometimes crowd in rallies; protests, etc come in full support. To be brutally honest, what materialistic gain one can get by participating in one, is what determines the strength of the bheed.

To come back to the point, which I was trying to make, rather than confuse the limited readers by essaying my journey into political practices being followed by our “leaders”, is regarding my expectations on the 2014 general elections. It would be naïve to say that my expectations are in sync with the mood of the country, because there is not any one mood that our country can put up. No matter how clear cut the choice is, there will be certainty, there will be confusion and there will always be an uncertainty as to what is certain and what is uncertain. Confused ?

Well, that is what the political system; a multi-party political system actually ends up being. Ideological modifications coupled with failed promises, results in either giving rise to something new or an alignment with an existential opposition. One small deviation from the ideology, if not controlled can give rise to an increased consensus of similar-breeding-yet-different-ideas. When these ideas collaborate, the end result may turn out to be completely different from what the original deviation actually stood out for. Finally, two opposing forces, which were previously within the purview of one, now stand battling one-on-one.

Picture the above hypothesis with our political system. The grand old parties’ continued hunger for power, gave rise to these deviations which resulted in what we now see as totally opposing forces standing before it. Some of them show stark resemblance to what it originally stood for once.

It would be illogical to assign these deviations only to the Grand Old party, as the forces which we now see, the opposing forces, were active even then. But, never before they could be termed as the general mood of a region, city, let alone be called as the mood of the nation.

What has changed?

One’s inability adds onto the strength of another. Mistakes, blunders, complacency, carelessness, hunger for power, have all contributed to what changed things. Keeping hands clean when job of doing the dirty job of politics was too difficult for them. Corruption proved to be the termite, which has been biting the chairs of power, for them to realize it when it has broken down already.

“Choosing the lesser evil” is what had made them sit on a makeshift chair for a while, but have they learnt anything from the downfall? From being the supreme to being made to keep up their place, have they learnt anything?

Tough for me to answer, as examples show otherwise, Scams are mere words that are part of everyday vocabulary of every newspaper!!!

Coming onto the opposing forces, or a “force to reckon with”, as is being positioned. While talking about the Grand Old party, the ideals that they stood for, how deviations happened and how the continued mockery of our system with repeated blows of scams, has stamped their current status was mentioned elaborately.

But what these opposing forces stand on?

Do they stand on undoing the ill-effects of what has been done on the system for a long time? Keeping a check on corrupt practices? Making development their sole agenda and seeking to transform the economic well being of the nation?

Is your answer yes? And is it based on the Ideals that these parties stand on or the promises they are making?

What matter to people now? The promises or the Ideals it stands for?

Talking of ideals, formations, and the track record, where do they actually stand when it comes to stitching the social fabric of the nation. Forgetting what the Idea of India stands for, is like betraying the motherland which we are part of.

What I am hopeful of 2014 is that it will give me the clear answer to my question to what India stands for. Will it sacrifice the social fabric that it has build through participation of its’ diversified culture to bring upon itself a dominant rule of One section of society to rule over the others? Will I be calling my country secular just for namesake or there is hope left still?

I don’t like to end on a question, but an answer won’t be possible as yet.

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5 Comments

  1. suryaneel das

    Nicely written. I am very well acquainted with ur view point. N u also know that mine r a bit different. Thats the beauty of democracy. And on a casual note I won’t say my view point coz it ll ruin ur blog 😛

    • I agree with you, on each of us having their own POV and I respect that. And since you added democracy, you shouldn’t be shying away from not commenting there, it’s democracy and if et all I am an Indian citizen I should listen to whatever you have to say on the content 🙂

  2. What exactly / precisely , will you do ?

    Expected has come to pass
    Narendrabhai Modi has been declared as the PM candidate of BJP
    On TV channels , experts are offering advice to BJP / NaMo , on how they should conduct themselves PRIOR to 2014 national elections
    For the voters , what matters is :
    “ If BJP were to be voted to power , how will it conduct itself , AFTER the elections ? After NaMo becomes PM ? “
    All that we have been hearing from NaMo and other BJP leaders , over the last one year is :

     Congress is corrupt

     UPA 2 is incompetent

     All of their policies are wrong , leading to price-rise , inflation , economic downturn etc

     They failed to do THIS and THAT

    But not a word so far of what exactly / precisely , BJP / NaMo would themselves do , if voted to power !
    I certainly don’t mean distribution of free laptops , tablets , mobiles , cycles ! Forget the manifesto !
    As a citizen , I would like them to declare NOW , their unambiguous stand on :

     Disallowing “ convicted “ persons from contesting elections

     Bringing political parties within the ambit of RTI

     Appointment of a Lok Ayukt in Gujarat and passing of Jan Lok Pal Bill within 100 days of coming to power

     Make CBI independent of Government

     Passing Women’s Equal Representation Bill, pending for 40 years

     Electoral Reforms incorporating , “ Negative Voting / Right to Recall “

     Passing of Delivery of Services Act

     Bringing out Black Money ( both , foreign and local ) for investment in Infrastructure / Health Services / Education / Housing for the poor etc , thru suitable “ No Questions Asked “ Amnesty Schemes

     Above all ,creating 15 million jobs every year

    These are , just a few of the people’s expectations
    Are BJP / NaMo willing to treat these as voters’ “ Charter of Demands “ ?
    We have had enough of rhetoric oratory
    People are asking :

    “ Forget what UPA failed to do . We know that
    What will YOU do , and WHEN ?

    I hope NaMo / Rajnath Singh realize that , in order to win the forthcoming State elections and , thereby pave the road to win the 2014 National election , they need to come up with honest / transparent and IMMEDIATE answers

    • hemen parekh [ 14 Sept 2013 ]

  3. BJP Poll Manifesto

    Mr Murli Manohar Joshi is in charge of drawing up BJP’s Poll Manifesto for 2014 Lok Sabha Elections

    He has invited suggestions from public for possible incorporation in the manifesto , if found suitable

    Based on my perception of what would benefit the public most ( in order of importance ) , following is how BJP’s manifesto should read :

     Corruption

    We will introduce / pass , “ Anna-Version “ of Jan Lok-Pal Bill within 2 months of assuming power at the Center

     Jobs

    We will create 15 million jobs per year , starting from 2015

     Economy

    We will liberalize FDI in Insurance / Retail and all other non-defense related sectors of economy

     Productive Use of Un-Productive Money

    We will create a structure, whereby Private sector and Religious Trusts ( such as Tirupati / Lord Padmanabhan / Shirdi SaiBaba / Satya SaiBaba / Siddhi Vinayak / VaishnoDevi etc ) , will come forward to invest , at least Rs 10 lakh crores per year for the next 5 years. This will be done thru,

    • No-Tax ( for 10 years ) , “ Job Creation “ Bonds , exclusively devoted to creation of Jobs for poor people in less-developed states

    • Enabling investments into these bonds , thru a Voluntary Disclosure Scheme ( VDS ) where no questions will be asked as to the source of the funds. This will bring back Rs 35 lakh crores stashed away unproductively / secretly by Indian nationals and Trusts

    • We will create similar “ Job Creation “ Bonds where subscription will be restricted to,

    # NRIs / PIOs
    # Foreign NGOS / Charitable Trusts
    # Foreign Sovereign Funds

    • We will introduce this measure within 6 months of coming to power

     CBI

    We will make CBI truly independent of the Central Government , by making Chief of CBI report to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
    CBI will have its own Expense Budget ( as part of the Central Budget ) and will be free to hire additional professionals without needing permission from any Central Ministry

     Electoral Reforms

    We will introduce , within 6 months , a Electoral Reforms Bill in Lok Sabha. This will have provisions for
    • NOTA

    • Right to Recall

    • Negative Vote …………..etc

     Representation of People Act

    We will amend this Act within 6 months of assuming power , by incorporating provisions for

    • Acceptance of ALL donations to political parties only thru cheques

    • Issue of paper receipts for all donations

    • Publishing on party web site ,

    # full details of funding / expenditure etc

    # full details of Assets / Liabilities / Income Tax Returns filed etc of Senior party functionaries ( including those holding Ministerial positions ) – updated annually

    # full details of FIRs / Court-Cases ( whether criminal or civil ) filed against any Senior Party Functionaries , with punishments awarded , if any

    # number of Lok Sabha / Rajya Sabha meetings attended by its elected representatives

     Naxal / Maoist Menace

    We will eliminate this menace thru full integration of these Tribal areas into the mainstream of the Social / Political and Economic development.
    We will do this by granting special status to these areas , where industries / businesses / NGOs , will be encouraged to set up Skills Training Institutes , by giving accelerated depreciation benefit for the Capital Expenditure incurred and 150 % write-off on the recurring annual revenue expenditure

     Relations with Pakistan

    Whereas we will encourage constructive dialogue with Pakistan to resolve all outstanding issues , this will be done only after Pakistan dismantles all terror-training camps on its territory , as certified by a UN Agency , on an ongoing basis

    Dear Mr Joshi :

    I am not sure how many citizens will take the trouble to spell out their suggestions like this
    My last suggestion is that you frame a “ Multiple Choice Questionnaire “
    Publish this on as many Media as possible – especially Online Web sites
    Then ask people to record their choices
    A Smart Phone based Mobile App would be great !

    • hemen parekh ( 19 Oct 2013 )

  4. Tora…………..Tora………….Tora

    During World War – 2 , as they approached Pearl Harbour on American coast , pilots of Japanese bombers chanted ,

    Tora , Tora , Tora

    ( Attack , Attack , Attack )

    As they approach 2014 National elections , 725 million Indian voters are chanting ,

    NOTA , NOTA , NOTA

    For past few months , they have been watching the mud-slinging by their political leaders on TV , Newspapers , Internet , Rallys etc

    And they are wondering :

    Only time these leaders cared to talk to us is when they wanted our votes during the past 10 years !

    They are least bothered if,

    > We commit suicide ( with family ) because we are jobless
    ( JOBS )

    > Our children go to sleep hungry
    ( POVERTY )

    > We sleep on the footpath
    ( HOUSING )

    > Our dilapidated buildings are about to crash
    ( URBAN DECAY )

    > Even employed amongst us have no money to buy vegetables
    ( RISING PRICES )

    > Our children are dying of dengue because we live on overflowing gutters
    ( LIVING CONDITIONS )

    > Our women must walk 5 miles to fetch water
    ( SAFE DRINKING WATER )

    > Our children must walk 5 miles to go to a teacher-less school
    ( EDUCATION )

    > For want of nearby hospital , our wives die during delivery
    ( HEALTH-CARE )

    > Without fans , we get scorched in summer heat
    ( ELECTRICITY )

    > To and fro , work-place , we spend 4 hours on the road
    ( TRANSPORT )

    Do these persons whose names appear on Electronic Voting Machines ( EVM ) , care for our tortured / tormented lives ?

    Are these not the very persons who have made our lives , a living hell ?

    From their air-conditioned cars and their air-conditioned bedrooms , do they have any time to peep into our slums ?

    Their only concern is to get voted back to power and make tons of money !

    NOTA , NOTA , NOTA

    * hemen parekh ( 02 Nov 2013 )

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