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| Only Idiots Don’t Vote | | |
VIJAI SHUKUL
In Greece, the birthplace of democracy, the land of Plato and Aristotle, it is said `that a non-voter is an idiot'. In India every second man feels that Indian democracy has gone to dogs. There is rampant corruption all around, there is criminalization of politics of the worst kind, there is no governance, the steel framework of administration has collapsed; In other words, democracy has failed. A varied suggestion from dictatorship to compulsory voting are suggested by way of improving things. Some say democracy does not suit Indian conditions, the people are not fit for democracy, it is in its nascent stage and it will soon turn the corner, that it is a period of transition and what not. But, all the same, the picture is gloomy and doomsday is near, we must wait for a messiah to save the country.
But, haven't we all been too naïve in not correctly analyzing and assessing the whole situation for the last 50 years. If the evil for all this sorry state of affairs has been the `vote' and the universal suffrage, then it is also a truth that the panacea also lies is the `vote'. Venom is treated as venom. We all blame either the poor uneducated voter, or the politician for this situation. I feel that we have been barking up the wrong tree. For I am convinced and strongly feel that the real culprit is the `non-voter' of this country the intelligentsia, the real income tax payer, large majority of government servants, a large chunk of the upper middle and higher class both male and female. The country or rather the non-voters failed to understand the real mechanics of democracy. That the politician and political parties are always responsive to their voters, whom they cannot afford to neglect. Every single vote is precious to them. The whole argument against casting their votes ie that all politicians are bad and nobody deserves, that the rural votes are in majority and their votes will not make a difference, there are no good people coming up as leaders, politics is a dirty game an no decent self-respecting men or women can or should join politics or fight an election, election requires huge funds and many more. The net result is a good percentage of votes go uncast in the country.
I strongly feel that there is not much logic and rationale or even truth in the excuses of the non-voters. The non-voters should realize that without their casting votes to the vote bank, no improvement is ever possible and Indian democracy would continue to function on three legs only. Today every educated and even a layman knows the politics of the manipulated vote bank and how it is misused by the political world. They are also aware of the fact that a slight shift in the percentage can spell disaster both to the political party or its candidate. On the other hand you have a large chunk of nearly 20% if not more number of voters, who are the real income tax payers with whose money the powers that be are happily playing `ducks and drakes'. After all who constitutes the majority of the manipulated vote bank in the country. The below poverty line, the uneducated and the landless.
Afterall what does good governance mean to them- just `roti kapada aur makan', a patta, free electricity and a tubewell, all kinds of subsidies, a cart track in rural area, a dilapidated health centre and sub-standard school etc. they pay no taxes as such, and stand to lose nothing. The governments in these last 50 years have managed to satisfy this vote bank in their own way, with half fulfilled promises and yet they decide the issues. Today this vote bank has matured and knows its powers of vote. Politicians never felt the need to look towards any other type of governance, which would lead towards the development of the nation. They were happy with this unquestioning vote bank about their competency and have grown bolder and bolder in their nefarious activities with no challenge to face. That is the reason why no efforts were made to lure the non-voters to their side. They could even dare to say that their vote was not required. They could even throw up a bandit queen to fight an election. To be called a criminal, a conviction is required. Conduct meant nothing. Their vote bank was no threat to them.
In 1952, when the first votes were cast, the country could boast of Nehrus and Patel, a cream of stalwarts. Leaders of ethics and integrity. Still the non-voters kept away. They had good reasons so they felt that the country was in safe hands. Today everyone is bad, so they cannot decide between the two evils. The middle class continued to vote and suffer. The upper class had all the means to look after themselves, the educated were satisfied in indulging in drawing room criticism, of the evil times and dirty politics resulting in nothing. The non-voters continued waiting for things to improve helplessly without realizing their power to cause a dent in the manipulated vote bank. They failed to understand the 20% vote threat to the political world. A threat which in any democracy the political world cannot afford to ignore. A threat which keeps the political world in discipline. A threat which can disturb the manipulated vote bank.
It is in the final analysis that value for money, the non-voters' hard earned tax money, which makes good governance a necessity. Voting is first a duty, then a right of every citizen of this country. By what right can a non-voter question governance without exercising his voting right? This is the real essence and the mechanics of democracies all over the world. It is time to bare their teeth just by casting their votes, without making any further excuses and put the wheels of democracy on the rails. The non-voters should shed their egoes to stand in the queues to cast their votes and not go out on a holiday. They owe something to the nation. It is said that for forms of Govt let fools contest, what is best governed is best. The day non-voters will come forward the political world will be forced to become responsive towards good governance.
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