As India plunges into nationwide Lok Sabha and Assembly polls this month, my small standing in the country, as her citizen, has suddenly become a hot topic. Why? Because I can vote and suddenly, I am in demand.
But like me, many others who stay away from their hometown and won't be able to make it in time to vote, will lose their chance. Then, many others will stay away for no party seems just right. Then again, many will vote not for a just candidate, but for the caste he belongs to.
Good governance. That's what we want at the end of this mad rat race.
BJP has a huge flipside because of the hardline, anti-minority image it has created for itself. It banks on the good governance bit though.
However, a good governance cannot be reached till a country is plagued time and again with separatist agenda. It cannot be reached till churches are attacked, Muslims and Sikhs are killed in riots and girls are beaten up, told what they should do or wear. It cannot be achieved till a political party decides what suits Hindutva and what does not.
Good governance cannot be achieved till we allow religion and caste to come out of our homes and entangle with everything and anything. There should be a demarcating line between your religion and your being a good citizen. Till we continue to mix the two to dangerous outcomes, we and our future generation won't be in a comfortable state of existence.
Good governance cannot also be reached till we keep on banking on reservation status instead of merit and intellect. Yes, good governance cannot be achieved by the carrot of reservation, when basic primary education is muddled with lax teaching policies, fatal corporal punishments and finding rats in mid-day meals. On the same lines, good governance cannot be achieved by finding an easy way out, by patronising health biscuits to do away with the responsibility of cooking a hygienic mid-day meal.
Good governance cannot be brought on sentimentality and emotions. Politicians are cunning, corrupt, divisive. And so, junta should be shrewd, opportunistic and manipulative to ultimately get what it wants. And wants should be prioritized well.
Good governance needs to start from the way down. It has been a long, tiresome wait. We are still waiting...
7 comments:
Nice reflective post on the occassion..
BTW, for some personal beliefs I don't and won't ever vote.. Don't believe in the system, to say the least.
Gauri, Lot of good points and because of this I support a lot of educated independent candidates. I think more independent candidates must come to politics and people should make them win at least that will force parties to field educated candidates instead of low lifes and criminals.
Dear Gauri,
I can realise the pain of your tender,young,innocent,aspirant heart.The same would be of many more like you in this beautiful country of ours, whose votes count and decides the fate and the path of our people.
Whatever we think and choose,let us have the faith in our deep rooted ideology of democracy,freedom, tolerance and compassion.Let these elements be not shaken.
Love.
Baba.
" ...Ye to naheen ki bulbul ne aah ki hi naheen thii...
...Shor bahut thaa gulshan men us ke Kafas ke paas..."
-"khalish"-VLG/26-04-2009.
it is heart breaking, isn't it, that we are still grappling with issues like religion, reservation and midday meals-the most basic of issues. and with all the circus acts successive governments have been, it would be nice if these, at least would be taken care of.
maybe it is time for us to stop waiting on our governments to do anything, and actually see if we can move towards gandhi's dream of swaraj. while the jokers are distracted, maybe we can get something done?
Brilliant post Gauri Gharpure. My favorite on your blog!
And I agree with you on every point here.
Agree on most points, although I must say that reservation when it takes into account a mix of social standing (which for some has persisted for generations) and economic status (reservations have, for over 60 years, only been successful in bringing a handful into the mainstream).
As for good governance starting right at the bottom, there's NREGA - but all the red-tape has to go. After all, it is a noble idea (can't say the same about loan waivers, pay commissions and subsidies though).
Dear all,
Is it not the real beginning of a long dreamt good governance, now with an educated Motherly figure like Meira Kumar, honoured and placed to hear, assess and console the pains of the oppressed womanhood, children and men of this country ?
Baba/4-3-2009/08.06 hrs.
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