"He who thinketh he leadeth and hath no one following him is only taking a walk."
Words well spoken but not understood ,at all. Our political scenario has become so pathetic that there seems to be no end in sight. For the common man, and I being one, do understand that we hardly have any option in choosing our leader. I felt miserable and helpless to say the least while exercising my fundamental democratic right on the 23rd of April ,2009, while voting. I did not feel like voting for any candidate as I saw none worthy enough of my vote. I had to thus choose between the devil and the dead sea.
I also understood the fact that even by not voting I could not do anything as someone then , from some political party ,would maybe come and do a proxy voting on my behalf. I thus decided to vote for the least corrupt and religiously dividing politician (in my eyes).
It seems that we citizens don't ask enough pointed questions to our leaders. Some questions do come up in my mind of which I am yet to find answers of. Questions like
1. Why is there no retiring age for politicians?
I believe that retirement age is a mark when the world in general and the person in question in particular starts understanding the fact that their faculties have become weak and their time has come to enjoy the rewards of years of their hardwork. So I guess , politicians don't retire as they never have used their sences and never known the meaning of work , forget hardwork!
2. Why is there no transperency and accountability?
Why is there hardly any transparency in politics? Why should not a common man know where and how his tax money is being spent (or better swindled)? There cannot be a quid-pro-quo in this matter. We should know where and how our hard worked money is being spent for our life's betterment.
Also all sectors of work have accountability except politics. Seems politics works like a pass-in-the-pass game of responsibility. You just have to keep passing the blame to someone elses shoulder, and then rest in peace. What a joke!
3. Why has non issues become the major issues in deciding a leader?
All I see this election is how leaders have made non issues the major issues for us. Why should it matter which religion my leader belongs to or which caste he/she is from. I just need a person who can help in the process of development, and by development I don't mean his and his families financial development but development of the region and the common man. from helping the poor get jobs and basic necessities of life to the not so poor seeing signs of development in the fields of infrastructure like roads, water electricity and you name it and most importantly keeping a check on prices of items of daily needs. I see none taking up these points and I feel helpless.
There are many more such questions which I feel I need the answers of. I feel good to see common people like Meera Sanyal, Mallika Sarabhai and Captian Gopinath and many more such unknown people to me, coming in front, taking the reigns in their own hands, asking questions and making people realize the importance of choosing the right people as our leaders. They may or may not win but in them at least I have started seeing a new India , the rise of a common man against injustice and most importantly, in them I know, I see HOPE!
