Voting

It’s really nice that voting is the new cool thing this year. Most people are quite upbeat that they are gonna vote/ have voted. I like the enthusiasm. I like the optimism.

But just a word of caution…amidst all the ‘jaago re’ hoopla, don’t forget that voting is just one step. It’s not the be-all-n-end-all of all our problems. No matter what these awareness campaigns say, “ek sahi vote” isn’t really going to change everything. It is definitely a beginning of change. Let’s not forget it’s just that. A beginning. An important first step. If we want all the things we do – better governance, cleaner politics, honest opportunities, faster development – mere voting isn’t getting us anywhere. Coz the people we vote for are still the same. I don’t want to be a cynic. I want to vote too (mostly coz I also think it’s cool). But for whom?? I’ve been trying to get hold of the list of candidates in my constituency without any success. And neither of the leading parties appeals much to me. Quite a bleak situation if you think of it! I don’t want to vote just for the heck of it!

And the point is, even if I do figure out one decent candidate and vote for him/her and Even if he/she gets elected (though that’s being a bit too optimistic!)…then what? If that person belongs to one of the major parties, he/she will soon ‘mould’ into their line of thought. If they are an independent candidate, what can they do in a scenario when the ruling party is just not interested in the ‘lesser’ issues?!

Actually, the point is not how bad things are. The point is how much worse will I let them get till I do something about it. Maybe the excitement about these elections is a good way to wake up. To “jaago” in the true sense. To not just vote coz it’s a smart thing, but to vote smartly. To be politically aware and active. To pick up a broom and start cleaning my home. To stop wondering and start doing. To shake myself outta apathy. These elections may not mend everything right away, but they are definitely an eye-opener. I’ll always remember 2009 as the year I decided to ‘grow up’.