Bravo, Mumbai
The citizens of Mumbai have finally spoken. They came out in large numbers to vote, to make a difference, to participate in the decision making process. Their commitment is really strong. Their interest did not dwindle with the passing time. They have shown that they still care. After all who would have thought that the voter turnout in Mumbai after the 26/11 carnage would be a whooping 43.5%. All that was expected was just a 15% increase in the turnout compared to the 47% turnout in Mumbai five years back in 2004. Must say, this city never fails to surprise me. Way to go!!! After all, which individual with all his senses intact would choose to stand in long tortuous queues in the sweltering heat just to press a button when they can clearly spend the long weekend with their family holidaying somewhere or even perhaps relaxing at home. How many times do we overworked, underpaid, underappreciated (as we believe) Mumbaikars get a mandatory paid holiday? Very rarely, right. So why waste it on something as trivial as voting when you can do a host of other activities.
We are hedonists, narcissists to the core. Of course it should be all about us. When there is a problem, a calamity, a terrorist attack we want answers, we expect accountability, we crib that our country is going to the dogs. We want to know what is happening with our hard earned money that we pay as taxes. We claim that the government is corrupt. But when it comes to choosing our representative, to taking a step in the right direction, to shouldering our responsibility we step back. Then the next day we continue cribbing and whining. As Newton aptly puts it in one of his laws "To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction". We dont care about the political system and neither do they care about us. It is mutual. So why blame them. We are asking for whatever we are getting. You cant have the best of both worlds.
We cant blame the politicos and say that they did not motivate us to vote. If even after 26/11 we need motivation then god save us!!!! Are we so self centered that anything we believe does not affect us directly is relegated to the back burner? Have we forgotten history so soon? Forgotten our freedom fighters? The people who gave up their lives to empower us to partcipate in the decision making process? What a shame! And this time around we have really good candidates. People who genuinely care and want to make a difference. They have clear agendas and action plans. And there are a number of independent candidates, well educated ones at that, willing to contribute. It sure appears as a lot of sincere effort on their part. Even celebrities have been pleading with people to exercise their right to vote. Even South Kashmir, where the Separatists have called to boycott the elections have shown tremendous increase in the voter turn out. May be that's because due to all the tensions out there those people have realised the significance of having the privilege to vote. We need to learn a lot from them. What more do we need to make us relise that doing nothing is not going to solve anything. We need to take affirmative steps if we want things done.
After 26/11 many Mumbaikars gathered outside the gateway to protest with a candle in their hands. They made a lot of promises, showed a lot of hope. Probably they are just like our politicians, may be even worse. How can we accuse our politicians then of hypocrisy. Arent they just a reflection of us. Scary thought!
We are hedonists, narcissists to the core. Of course it should be all about us. When there is a problem, a calamity, a terrorist attack we want answers, we expect accountability, we crib that our country is going to the dogs. We want to know what is happening with our hard earned money that we pay as taxes. We claim that the government is corrupt. But when it comes to choosing our representative, to taking a step in the right direction, to shouldering our responsibility we step back. Then the next day we continue cribbing and whining. As Newton aptly puts it in one of his laws "To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction". We dont care about the political system and neither do they care about us. It is mutual. So why blame them. We are asking for whatever we are getting. You cant have the best of both worlds.
We cant blame the politicos and say that they did not motivate us to vote. If even after 26/11 we need motivation then god save us!!!! Are we so self centered that anything we believe does not affect us directly is relegated to the back burner? Have we forgotten history so soon? Forgotten our freedom fighters? The people who gave up their lives to empower us to partcipate in the decision making process? What a shame! And this time around we have really good candidates. People who genuinely care and want to make a difference. They have clear agendas and action plans. And there are a number of independent candidates, well educated ones at that, willing to contribute. It sure appears as a lot of sincere effort on their part. Even celebrities have been pleading with people to exercise their right to vote. Even South Kashmir, where the Separatists have called to boycott the elections have shown tremendous increase in the voter turn out. May be that's because due to all the tensions out there those people have realised the significance of having the privilege to vote. We need to learn a lot from them. What more do we need to make us relise that doing nothing is not going to solve anything. We need to take affirmative steps if we want things done.
After 26/11 many Mumbaikars gathered outside the gateway to protest with a candle in their hands. They made a lot of promises, showed a lot of hope. Probably they are just like our politicians, may be even worse. How can we accuse our politicians then of hypocrisy. Arent they just a reflection of us. Scary thought!
Comments
Post a Comment