As the mercury is rising in India, emotions are rising high
too. And I am not just referring to the
cricket fever - which has become more or less like a chronic disease ailing
people all year round. I am talking
about the national elections 2014.
A friend of mine recently had the following status message
on facebook - "I need political detoxification". Well, all of us do.
Ever since the polling in Delhi, politics has been the top of charts for any
conversation online and offline. And
that is not without reason. What we are
about to witness may just go down history as one of the most important
elections of all times. And if you still have managed to remain aloof politics
or refrained from expressing your political opinion, worst still, if you
haven't yet formed your opinion, please read on, pull up your socks, and cancel your plans to
sleep through the voting day. Here is your chance to be a part of history.
1) Largest number of voters ever and largest electoral in the World
When India goes to vote this month, 800 million people would
be eligible to cast their vote and exercise their right to decide their
political and economic destiny. That not only makes India the largest democracy
in the World, it is also the largest number of voters ever eligible to vote in
India as well, making this year's National elections the largest electoral
exercise in the World. Ever.
2) The power of youth voters and social media
This time 814m people are registered to take part and
estimates suggest that around 120m of them, or about 20 per cent, will be
first-time voters.
In places such as the huge northern state of Uttar Pradesh,
with a population of 200m, the youth vote could play a crucial role in deciding
who emerges as the eventual winner.
24 million voters aged 18 to 19 will be polling for the
first time in an election in which social media and internet-based campaigning
faces its first electoral test. Therefore all those twitter and facebook fans
of Modi or AAP would finally have an opportunity to actually put into action
what they have been preaching online.
3) The choice of NOTA
Voters will now have an option of selecting "None of
the above" or NOTA on their EVMs when they go to vote this time. This
means that even if you feel that none of the parties deserve to form a
government, you still have an option to express your opinion. This is a very
strong tool especially in the backdrop of extreme grey political sentiments
without any clear public favorite.
4) The rise of a revolution
This the first time since India's Independence that the
political staples have been challenged at the national level. The strength of
the Aam Aadmi is here to test the mettle of many a seasoned politicians. A
party that is the epitome of the common man, that challenges the motives of every
established party, that is fearless in uncovering the harsh truth that no one
talks about, that has the guts to stand up against power, money, strength and diplomacy
and only push one agenda forward - The agenda of the common man.
The common man on the other hand, is clearly fed up. Recent
demonstrations, social media opinions, public gatherings and coming together of
people during the Nirbhaya tragedy are all pointing towards this sentiment. The
common man is done with status quo. The common man is ready for a radical
change. For action. What this means for the existing political parties - and
their unchanged promises, we will know soon.
5) A promise for change but for a price
This election is not about BJP vs Congress. It is about Modi
vs others. Lets accept it, the people
that defined BJP are all gone or alienated. The new face of BJP is the face of
Modi brand of politics. That is built on a strong corporate lobby, a sharp
business acumen, and a merciless approach towards minorities. That aside, the
extremism that Modi brings with himself may not be good for any community given
that peaceful coexistence is what keeps India together. Modi is running this election over his Gujarat
model of development. What kind of development we are talking about, remains
questionable.
I am told that thousands of stone pieces have been gathered
in Ayodhya. The temple could be built in days. Everything is ready and waiting.
If Modi wins, we might build a concrete structure within days. But what about
building a country that is being crushed under the need for fairness, equality,
honesty and every man doing his job righteously. We are about to give up our
chance to all that, for a fight of primitive land rights. This country's entire
future is a big price to pay for a piece of history - rather a piece of mythology.
6) Abki baar advertising ki bauchaar
Right from Ms. Ansari's yuva soch, her spoof's sharp retort,
to the poetic "Abki baar" campaign, advertising by various political
parties has been at loggerheads with each other. That may not have any
political or historical significance and I would be surprised if a single vote
converts simply by the strength of these punch lines, but nonetheless, it definitely
ads lot of drama to the existing cacophony of pre-elections mudslinging.
With so much simmering around the country, if you as a citizen still prefer sleeping over voting, then you are a moron. You are lame. Please go find your voter ID and save face. More importantly, save the country.
