The nation is in the throes of an election to select parties and people that will govern the country from Delhi for the next five years. The seven-phase process started on April 19 and will culminate on June 1, with counting scheduled on June 4. Hectic efforts are underway by leaders of all descriptions to make a last-ditch effort at influencing voters to vote in their favour. That, accompanied by chest-thumping about achievements, promises for the future and claims of surpassing the magic figure of 400 by one side to upstaging the ruling dispensation on the other are dominating the public discourse.
This much is tolerable and par for the course, though one would like to hear more discussion on the manifestos and future plans for the development of the country. Informed and civilized public debate by politicians of opposing parties on mainstream visual media is non-existent in our country. It is a zero-sum game. What is food for one is poison for the other. What is good work by one is burglary for the other. What is a good scheme for one is promised to be revoked by the other if it comes to power. What is good foreign policy for one is selling out to foreign powers for the other. What is enforcement of law by one is misuse of constitutional power by the other. How unfortunate this country is, to deserve such public figures! Maybe it is just as well that they do not appear on television – they would most certainly replicate their despicable behaviour in Parliament or in state assemblies.
Nobody is interested in explaining the ‘why’ of things to their electors. Why are you promising what you are, in your manifesto? What good will it do to the country in the short and long-terms? Why are we unable to rapidly improve our health, sanitation, education and economic well-being? Why are we spending huge amounts on mega schemes with little benefit other than assuring easy income and creating a lazy workforce? Why are we unable to acheive the degree of cleanliness of which we can be proud? Why can’t we rid ourselves of corruption in government through measures such as digitisation, removal of human interfaces, single-window systems, better and swift grievance redressal etc? No leader is interested in talking about these things. In fact, these are the reasons for which parties and individuals must be voted into or out of power.
There is a quote ascribed to Eleanor Roosevelt which goes like this – “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” Going by what we see in the visual and print media and of course, in all election rallies, our political landscape is brimming with small minds. Political discourse has reached a nadir and we seem to be digging further. Every person delivering an election speech is just vilifying opponents, mostly through personal attacks. He is a thief, she is a liar, this person supports rapists, that party has hoodwinked the country with slogans, that other guy judges people based on skin colour, X politician is hand-in-glove with Y and Z businessmen who are responsible for major political funding and so on.
Are we going to be led by a bunch of liars, corrupt people, thieves, racists and morally delinquent individuals? It definitely appears so, to the great dismay of the educated, middle class, who unfortunately do not matter in Indian electoral mathematics. The rich are insulated from all this and the poor are overwhemed in just getting by from day to day – they will vote for any entity that gives them a 500-rupee note on election day.
So what does the hapless voter do? Many do not even know the difference between parliamentary and assembly elections. Most do not understand Centre-State dynamics. For them, local issues like water supply, food prices, education for their children, decent jobs and a roof over their heads matter more than becoming the third largest economy, a space super-power or raking up long-settled bilateral issues like Kachhateevu. Therefore, votes that matter will be cast on these daily subsistence issues and politicians and political parties will do well to address these pain points. The Centre’s work in the states must not just be substantial but must also be seen to be so, if regional party dominance is to be dented.
The aware voter has little choice in making a difference to the outcome of the parliamentary elections because their numbers are low and that too, concentrated in bigger cities and urban areas. Voting for one dispensation may give it a sweeping majority, thereby undermining the democratic value of dialogue and a spirited opposition. Some have started calling it the beginning of an ‘elected autocracy.’ Voting the other dispensation could be a step in creating a viable opposition but opposition parties have little to show in terms of credibility, cohesion or leadership. The indifferent option of NOTA exists but for it to be effective, NOTA has to poll more votes than the other candidates – in other words, NOTA has to win the election for a repoll. That is nowhere near happening in a hurry.
So, while nothing is over till it is over, the outcome of the parliamentary polls perhaps favours the ruling dispensation for the primary reason that the opposition is in utter disarray. The hapless voters fervently hope that they get to make a more equal choice in the next election and political discourse in the country becomes positive and more enlightened. One wonders if the masses would become more politically aware to discern good intent and performance from gimmickry.
The major problem is LIES & DECEIT. Ruling party lying with inflated figures. Fooling the poor people. Doles instead of jobs are dangerous. Politicians using public resources and tax payers money for campaigning. Electoral Bonds were a daylight robbery and extortion.
The PMs discourse ad language is downright shameful.
Nice article sir.
Aptly put across. When you feel that politicians can’t stoop lower, they surprise you. An informed voter in the country is in minority and it has less to do with education also as you’ll find irrationality amongst the educated lot also. Hopefully, the system finds a way of correcting itself.
You have brought out the present state of politics in India very explicitly and like any voters, I too feel very helpless. This time around I have stopped watching TV. No campaign speeches, no debates on news channels, no social media posts related to elections. No point increasing my anxiety.
Today’s Headlines – The Hindu – Visakhapatnam:
1. Illegal disbursal of money ‘rampant’ ahead of polls.
2. Kejriwal announces list of 10 guarantees to script ‘new India’
3. Candidates try to woo voters with chicken and mutton on poll eve
4. Women voters protest ‘disparity’ in gifts, return saris
5. Modi, Mamata trade barbs over Sandeshkhali issue
6. Shah targets Gandhi family in Congress bastion Rae Bareli; Priyanka hits back
7. Dalits, tribals will be treated like slaves if Modi, Shah get third term, says Kharge
You will get a headache if you go through the above articles fully.
Just waiting for the election to get over.
Praying and hoping to see good governments both in the Centre and States.
You have said the obvious in a very lucid way as always. You are so right in your observation that the political discourses have reached such base levels, especially in the run up to the parliamentary elections, that it is more interesting to watch inconsequential IPL matches on television if one must switch on the TV set at all. The cacophony raised by the mostly illiterate or half literate spokespersons is not only hardly intelligible, it is lacking any substance altogether. There is neither any political intent nor any roadmap is discernible through out the debate except for calling names and a laissez-faire environment where the anchorperson is only making frantic attempts to discipline participants.
But if one has his ears on ground, especially in context of West Bengal, there appears to be a palpable tectonic shift to move away from the perceived binary which is being projected by partisan media. Most of the political parties apparently fail to acknowledge that the Indian electorate today are a more enlightened lot. Mere theatrics do not work any more. So let us patiently wait and watch what surprises are thrown at us on 4th of June when the cat shall be out of the bag.
A well articulated article, every facet of the election processes and its ramifications has been brought out very distinctly and comprehensively. Kudos to VAdm Biswajit Dasgupta. However, the question that comes in my mind is: is there any solution to this? The simple answer is-‘no’. The author has rightly brought out that the awareness of people of our country with regard to election is very poor; the mere Rs 500/- plays a big role for the poverty stricken oblivious voters to vote for a person or party, about whom/which they hardly have any knowledge. In addition, the demagogic speeches of the political leaders laced with religious sentiments often beguiled the people. Urbanites who are cognizant often stay away from voting. So the famous statement of Mr Abraham Lincoln,”the democracy of the govt is, of the people, by the people, and for the people” doesn’t really hold water in our country, as of now.
It is not entirely true that Indian media is analogous to “small minds”. Further the note of despondency over the Indian electorate may be true to some extent but not wholly so. We do have a chaotic democratic set up but that is what is the thing about “Evolution”. India began its tryst with destiny after 1000 years of foreign powers calling the shots here. We began in a state of misery and the process of evolution took its twists and turns, and passing through tumultuous times we have arrived at this juncture where India has become more assertive and aware of its core Indic identity. It has not been an easy journey as this Indic identity has had to suffer myriad blows from vested interests with global clout. Amidst all this the arrival of a leader with unshakeable spine and unmatched rectitude has spawned a decade of well directed growth path inspite of the impediments of an indifferent geo strategic environment, fissiparous internal dynamics -with dubious NGOs media people and leftist ecosystem leveraging the global clout they have traditionally possessed to indifferent and sometimes shockingly evil effect, and the essentially uncertain nature of the Indian electorate – except for one section that seems to consistently stick to a definitive tactical pattern of plan in a united manner. The emergence of this strong man with spine; and the by and large gradual benign ethical thrust in public life, has indeed given a fillip to righteous democracy – enhancing the overall positivity with the promise of stability amidst growth and well intended welfare schemes that form the baseline of the incumbent dispensation, which in all likelihood seems to be returning for a third term and the prospects till 2047 appear quite heartening to say the least, nevermind the noisy chaos and an opposition that is increasingly becoming more and more value less as they get continually exposed on every front. India indeed has come a long way to become a bright spot from the fragile five it was a decade back. Bravo.
Thanks. I share your positivity and hope the ‘evolution’ that you have alluded to, happens quicker and in the right direction.
Well said. We are not coming out of this in the near future. Keeping the masses uneducated helps the cause. Media circus helps the cause. I am surprised when I also find some well educated peoples thinking worse than the uninformed unedeucated type.
Elaborate depiction of present state of elections in all democracies. But no tangible solutions suggested.
Future lies in absolute digitisation which is inevitable. Ballot voting through EVM to be replaced by well secure mobile apps that can do the same job.
This drama of constituency hopping will cease, crores will be saved on the arrangements and achievements can be projected in real facts and
figures through the digital media.
Thanks. The solution lies in political reform, which is difficult because of incumbent resistance. Solutions are in the realm of political decision-making. We can only have wish lists.
Well articulated as always sir…..
Excellent overview of national political landscape. Wish more and more senior retired people from Indian armed forces would be so forthright. The armed forces is the only institution of this country of 1.4 billion which is still respected and admired by all.
Kudos to you, VAdm Dasgupta.
While we revel in ‘unity in diversity’ slogan, the opposite becomes true during election time! Hence my distinct identity is my voting mantra. No wonder we never go beyond identity politics in our country. Fighting for a common good is a myth!
Agree sir, very well put across. The political discourse in these elections has touched a new low. Informed and civilized public debate by the political class is totally missing. That’s is no surpise, given that thugs, criminals, corrupt and morally bankrupt people continue to be given tickets by political parties n that too in huge numbers. This coupled with the apathy of the middle class in not coming out to vote in large numbers is the bane of our democracy. What matters is the dole n freebies given to the poor which is the main voting force. I strongly believe that to bring a positive change, the educated middle class, which constitutes around 55 percent of the eligible voting force, has to come out in huge numbers and make their voice heard. A case in point according to various surveys is that a mere 5 % increase in middle class voters ended Lalu Yadav’s 15 year rule in Bihar. Similarly , a 7% increase in middle class voters ended Left’s 34 year rule in West Bengal.Till that happens, we will continue to get a rotten set of elected representatives who have no love lost for nation and whose only n sole purpose is to fill their own coffers.
It has been rightly said that one should not expect a politician to be a leader. While the primary intent of a leader is to lead the masses, that of a politician is to win the polls, period. What further exasperates the situation is the fact that in our country informed voters are a rare commodity. So every party is content at wooing a herd of sheep not appealing to the intellect of the voter.