The vote matters to India”

Owais Ahmad Shah

“On 15th August when India after centuries of foreign domination started breathing fresh pure air of freedom, none would have thought that this fresh air would turn poisonous and with the passage of time gets so much contaminated that it would poison the whole of the country’s democratic set-up and the persons to whom the responsibility of governing the country be given would be the fountain head of such poisonous contaminated air”.

The present day politicians governing the country are obsessed in the mantra of looting the country, filling their own coffers. They could be seen fighting for the bone like snarling stray dogs on the street. Power by any means is their prime objective and this lust for power leads to conspiracy, murders and forging a nest between likeminded politicians, bureaucrats and mafias. Now a day’s politics has become such a lucrative profession where prior investment of money and muscle power to grab the chair is suffice to feed the several generations and gives one the respectful position in the society. Politicians are much willing to go with any political party or group so long it serves their interest. The trading and defection among the political parties has become a common practice. In the recent past,the coalition break-up between BJP and PDP can better justify the aforementioned argument. When PDP was left out of power, it’s top members started changing their colours and joined other regional parties whom they thought would have more power in the future.
Spate of scams are pending before courts relating to misappropriation, frauds, corruption in which the present day politicians are shamelessly involved. The definition of corruption has been modified by these politicians tearing every fabrics of morality and ethics. Now unless the court decides a politician as corrupt, otherwise he is more honest than an individual even after getting jailed for months on corruption charges.
Ethics is the most traumatic jokes in the present day politics. In every scam whether Tehelka,Fodder,Hawala,2G or the new called Rafael deal we find wires connected to some powerful politicians.
We shouldn’t forget the laudable example of collective responsibility set up by Britian decades ago when the Harold Macmillan government resigned en masse over scandal of the Defence Minister Profumo associated with the prostitute Christine Keeper, an obscure spy hobnobbing with the Soviet Minister.

Many politicians have reached the nadir of immorality when as a last ditch effort to grab power, they resort to booth capturing and rigging with the help of criminals and gangsters. Many politicians make it to power by openly wielding muscle power, by threatening people openly in public rallies.
The ills of castiesm, communalism and nepotism has insidiously left democracy as an empty shell. Sagely said by the former PM of India, late Rajeev Gandhi that out of 100% only 17% is actually spent on the developmental work of the country.
People have lost faith in their leaders. The youth are disillusioned and they are finding themselves on the horns of dilemma. Voters also find democratic process as the sole process of maneuvering. The situation is undoubtedly grave and everyone seems to be carrying the chip on their shoulder. In a country where the common men had become indifferent towards the process of elections which is the base of democratic set up due to the politics and politicians who are becoming unethical and immoral, the disastrous effect is unimaginable and the whole democratic set up may be left paralyzed.
It is fair to blame politicians only but people should also hold themselves responsible to the great extent for making politicians corrupt. If the people use their right to vote in favour of a gentleman and honest leaders and devote some time to make him the winner, an example can be set and the corrupt politicians would have to think twice before contesting elections. But this is not the case, money and muscle power carries more effect.
It is not to conclude that all the politicians are corrupt. The undying hope lies with the honest and committed politicians who have sacrificed a lot for the welfare of the nation. It is ripe time we enforce a code of conduct to stem the rod and this exercise must begin now. A transparency in the working is urgently needed. Responsible media and opposition can play an important role in exposing the corrupt politicians. The people are also becoming aware of their right to vote, They also think that unless they use their vote for the right leader, the future of the country is set to be bleak and they themselves have to suffer miserably because of their wrong judgment.
Let us hope that the people of India will vote for the honest, dedicated and sincere leaders so that a sea change can be seen in the future.

The writer is Student at GDC Handwara Kashmir)