We Indians have always had an inclination for the personality cults. Whenever we are faced with issues and obstacles, whenever we are mired down in uncertainty and hopelessness, we tend to look around for someone to take us out of it all and so in a way shifting the responsibility for doing something about it onto him/her! We place him/her on a pedestal, bestow on him/her the tag of 'Messiah' and then we start believing that he/she is the answer to all of our problems. Like for us, a couple of years ago Anna Hazare was the answer to rid us of corruption; like in cricket, the little master Sachin Tendulkar always was our answer. And currently 'NaMo' is being looked at as the definitive answer to all of our problems, as some of us have started to believe!
Like everyone else, I too am extremely disgruntled and fed up with the incumbent UPA government and its functioning. And that is why we all are today clamouring for a change. But if the man (Modi) continues to tighten his fist and consistently indulges in vicious attacks on the opposition, is it going to gain any traction? By such aggressive posturing, is he correctly presenting himself as the viable alternative?
In the contemporary Indian political scene where both humility and civility are in scant supply, it's not surprising to see political parties heaping muck on each other. But why demean one's opponents in order to enhance one's persona? Why resort to sharp jibes and pungent one-liners on other political parties to paint one's own image as the answer to people's problems? In the last few days, what we have been witnessing is a degree of bitterness and sheer abuse of one's political opponents. Doesn't that reflect poorly on the protagonists? No wonder why the public holds politicians in subterranean regard.
Rather I feel like it's the widespread disenchantment with the Congress rather than Modi's charisma that people are flocking to him. And what is working to his advantage is that currently it appears like a void where no leader has pan-Indian appeal. Though I still continue to support Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party but there are times too when I get skeptical about AAP, going by some of their antics. And to be very frank, I don't see much changing under the BJP's regime as well in the coming 5 years (now that it's almost certain that BJP is going to form the next government).
We voters may feel like we hand over our fate for the next 5 years to these politicians and in return, only get to live through meek reality each time. And then once again, when the day of voting comes and we seek redemption and resurrection, all that we get is "Babaji kaa Thullu". So it's understandable to be cynical.
But turning the torchlight within, do we ever introspect about our own short-comings? Most of us break laws or commit some form of petty corruption, one or the other -- often we prefer to jump a traffic signal than to wait for it to turn green; we do not hesitate to break out of our queues to get our tickets fast or to have a temple darshan; we do not mind bribing a RTO official for a new driving licence or a traffic cop to evade a challan for not wearing our helmet; we squabble among ourselves for seats in trains and buses; we act and react insensitively to our fellow countrymen in the name of religion or region. We either remain a mute spectator or look elsewhere while a woman is being harassed before our eyes; we turn a blind eye to a profusely bleeding couple lying unclothed on the street on a cold December night, we pass by them in our cars and bikes only to slow down a bit, lower our car windows, stop for a while and then drive ahead into our banal lives leaving them for dead. And yet the next day, we do not hesitate to merge among the crowds at the India Gate, holding candles and demanding justice and answers from our political leaders!
Someone had so rightly said,
"Politics is a reflection of our society and its inadequacies are pointers to the extent of the degeneration of our value system as people!" Undoubtedly.
Pointing fingers at others is so easy! Unless and until each one of us becomes self-disciplined, strictly adheres to the ethics, consciously refrains from using any unfair means (whatsoever) and fulfills all of our duties, no talisman, be it Modi or Kejriwal or RaGa, is going to be able to bring about a change or free us of our problems!
