India is the biggest democracy in world by far and we surely don't take a back seat in talking about that, but when it comes to being a part of that record, you say 'mujhse akele se kya fark padta hai'.. we can'tt get any more cynical than that.. well, I am not asking you to go out and fight for elections... that is not as easy... but at least 'VOTE', my friends.... people refrain from voting by saying 'NO CANDIDATE in my constituency was good enough to get my vote.. '.. we say that very boastfully, trying to portray ourselves as smart, but in my view, we are simply irresponsible... as most of us never tried to know the candidates just because we wanted to sleep on a holiday (i.e a voting day) .. if we ever took pains to know, we can at least go and vote for the better amongst the candidates, rather than none.. at least we will make it a point that whoever comes into lok sabha/vidhan sabha will do less harm than others will, if not good...
Chandrababu Naidu said this when he was at his peak in politics during NDA rule, "Politics need not be a swear word. Politicians can be good for people. Politicians can be business managers. Running the state like it is a company. Where change is a number that has to be achieved. A politician can know how to use a computer and turn a backwater into a technology and an industry hub. He can be a fanatic, but about the common man's prosperity; Stay in power by the surrender of power; By representing people, not ruling. Politics and governance can be transparent. People will be able to hold a politician responsible for his actions. Starting now, politicians should stop asking for people's support. They should support people. politics should not come in people's way. It should be, the way."
This is possible only if we participate in democracy. We can raise voice to our representative only if we have participated in electing
him.
I know that most of us and especially the fairer sex have 'Ignore' state of mind whenever they hear anything distantly in relation to politics. We love to hate politics and blame everything on politicians. Its fashionable to curse the politicians. But we hardly realise that we are actually cursing ourselves as we are the ones who elect the politics. And at the same time, if we are not participating in the democracy by not voting, we are also proving that we are stupid.
I remember this saying by George Bernard Shaw .. "Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve" ... Its only us who is responsible for whatever things that politicians do, because they are OUR representatives.
Note :
1. Please vist http://www.jaagore.com and register.. They take up various initiatives (elecotral registration, voicing grievances, etc)
2. One more interesting website, http://www.politicalcompass.org/test ... test what kind of political ideology you possess... so that you know which political party's ideology matches yours
