Vision of Life; by Sanjay: Vote For, Your Self! !!

“Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.” … Abraham Lincoln.

“The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”… Winston S. Churchill.

Well, do I need to introduce above two names probably most famous leaders of two countries which are known to have best of the democracies’ in the world’s history & look at the way they have put their views about the voters in words, actually knowing about the attitude one will think the quotes have been changed as Lincoln who was always known for his soft nature & accommodating attitude has expressed his opinion about voters in a fashion which doesn’t go with his reputation whereas, the usual head strong Churchill is saying exactly opposite of his nature i.e. having a dialogue with voters! And that shows how an election can make best of the leaders change their perception regarding the voters (read citizens) & I think that’s real beauty of the democracy as its this time when the rulers realize it’s no more just a common man or citizen he is The Voter which is like The Terminator for next few days i.e. from announcement of election day to voting i.e. “D day”! Well there are few hitches during this time span such as getting party’s ticket (read most sought after party, whichever is in ruling) to silencing most troublesome candidates (please read as making such candidate withdraw his or her from contesting) etc. And the reason I recalled these quotes is the D day for largest democracy in the world has finally come i.e. Loksabha Chunaw (feel lot better this way than Assembly Election type terminology) are here. It’s a show which entertains entire India more than any Bollywood block-buster or IPL as before announcement of actual day to results of the voting, nearly two & half month entire country is busy in the process. And everybody for his or her own reasons to be exited because of elections; political parties off-course for their next five years future is depending on it, bureaucracy is interested as to decide which side to switch as well responsibilities for the execution of election process, everybody has got their all senses focused only at one thing i.e. elections! And then there are vendors, suppliers of various services right from transportation to sound system to banners/ flags/posters makers to designers to speech writers to social media handlers (most sought after, now a days) & yes Biryaniwalas for karyakartas (read caterers) all such tradesmen whose turnover suddenly gets multiplied in the year of election, so they too are eagerly looking at elections! Well I may not mention but even a small kid who doesn’t has voting right also knows what more is traded during elections!

So, now you can imagine if for 542 people (loksabha count) it’s the fight for ruling the country then for millions it’s the business opportunity coming once in five years & everyone wants to make full bounty of it! Well, this is for all those who are looking at elections as an opportunity considering general elections as a market but what about the ones who are clients for this market but actually are being used as product, yes I am referring to the voters! Just few days back I had a dialogue about voting pattern as well campaigning with one of my friend whose close family member is contesting loksabha election & against some giant name in politics! As well go to any nukkad or cafe or take any group, the current topic is obviously the elections & everyone has his or her own opinion about the candidate or the political party & their agenda! Then I met many who are least interested in elections because the New India’s famous dialogue is “yaha kuchh nahi honewala” i.e. nothing is going to change here which in nut shell means whichever party or candidate gets elected still for me there will be no change in circumstances (read difficulties of the life)! But the by saying so we ourselves are becoming the biggest enemy of our own self as when I ask myself why I should vote then do mind it’s not for some party or candidate I am voting but I vote because its sign of my very existence, is what I think!

It’s a shame that a country where everyone has his or her freedom to express opinion about everything i.e. right from Indian Cricket Team selection to International Politics we express our self without having even any say on it & yet when it’s time to make real difference by casting our vote then we stand back saying “yaha kuch nahi honewala”; real hippocratic lot we are & mainly the educated ones! As the poor votes by lot as they feel that their vote can get them something & take it as bargain & nothing wrong in it as you vote to someone who you feel (or think) will represent you to solve your daily problems & it’s always the poor who has got more problems & the first & foremost of it is day to day survival! So, no wonder the slums comes out for voting with numbers & you may name that their votes are purchased but who is responsible for the situation where a poor guy is ready to sale his or her vote, has someone asked this question ever, even to self! Its, we the educated ones who don’t vote are the main reason for creating a situation where poor people’s vote can be purchased by small things like Rs 500 note or some ceiling fan or set of clothes is a bitter fact we refuse to accept!

And speaking about the voter’s pattern there always will be supporters which majorly go by some political party & their agendas (which is same actually with any party) & yes in this country saddest part is many voters still vote by looking at caste or religion of the candidate & even the political parties also chose their candidates keeping this aspect in mind! Now tell me on one side we are taking pride in calling ourselves a secular democracy & other side every party looks at the caste equations when its voting pattern, are we not making fool of ourselves! This again happens because the so called educated people don’t vote & when I say educated then it means those who have gained not just some degree but gained knowledge to analyze difference between good & bad, right or wrong! By not deciding to vote or even by voting with caste & religion like aspects in mind even we have got a degree I will say we are illiterate & a worst lot than the poor living in slums & fighting for their daily needs like water , food, shelter & cloths! If you see the voting pattern the average voting of the country is just around 60% & this is divided in majorly between some three or four parties! Means when a party comes in ruling this country just represents some one fourth of the citizens, isn’t it weird! And then when such ruling party doesn’t stand to your expectations you say, “bola tha, yaha kuch nahi hoga!” But again you not going for voting is the reason for making some bunch of people rule the entire country when they have got just a quarter of entire voter’s support actually; is again you are conveniently forgetting!

Actually when people vote, there are those who vote for the party, then there are those who votes for the person contesting (for reasons like he or she is my relation or from my caste types) & then there are ones who votes for personal gains they have been offered (read vote purchasing) & these all people makes some eighty odd percent of actual voters. But there are some twenty percent of the voters who till they go to vote are unable or hasn’t been sure to decide whom they should vote & why! I told to my friend, it’s this twenty percent lot is the one which makes the difference in making any candidate win & its this lot on which any candidate or party should focus on. As well another big lot is the one who don’t come out for voting at all; if we really want to make the change then its these two categories we must focus on, is what I shared with him!

I used to wonder (pity) for our country where we have to appeal people to vote but then that’s why I said I used to wonder but no more; as the country where people still need a law to wear a helmet for their own safety, a country where party’s ticket is given on which caste the candidate comes from, a country where national holiday is needed to be declared so people can go for voting, a country where election commission has to interfere on everything right from candidates information to expenses made by the candidates, a country where people has to walk miles even to go to polling booth; what else can be expected here! And yes just by voting you don’t earn that right is equally true as next five years it’s your job only to see that your vote doesn’t go waste just like if you have paid some amount for servicing of your PC or AC then you see that it remained in working condition, same way if you have voted someone then it’s your duty that make your vote count & this duty is for five years! Even if the candidate you have voted doesn’t get elected then also do mind it’s a democracy & the elected candidate is of entire constituency & not just for those who has voted him or her! This also is your job to make that candidate remind this truth about the power of your vote! And this is why I go to vote & even then if nothing changes then at least I have gained my right to say, “yaha kuch nahi hoga” which won’t be actually required then, as if everybody votes to someone & make that someone count for his or her vote then only “yaha kuch to hoga” is a fact!

With heavy heart I confess due to my preplanned trip I won’t be in town for voting though I am trying for voting by mail or other sources but at least if I can make few sleeping souls to vote by my sharing will balance my sin of not being able to vote, is the sole reason for this sharing!

Sanjay Deshpande

Sanjeevani Dev.

Please view my sharing about real estate in Pune at U-Tube link below..

https://youtu.be/g3lx1Nq7pBs

Please do visit my blogs to know about our philosophy at Sanjeevani ! (Click the links below)

http://visonoflife.blogspot.com/2018/08/pune-city-no-1.html