We Are Still An Immature Democracy, Aren't We?

We very often boast to be the greatest and biggest democracy of this world. But are we really...? We are going to face the most mammoth democratic exercise in a few weeks.

We just saw a similar exercise in America. Incidentally, Americans boast in a same way, to be the oldest democracy (in modern definition of democracy, of course) in the world. Now just compare the political activities during a couple of weeks preceding the elections in both the countries.

The Democratic and Republican parties were both busy making their people understand about the policies regarding foreign, economic and social security policies. And see what Congress and the Bhartiya Janata Party is striving for in the run up to the general election. The most decisive factor that would decide the fate of these two national parties are not their policies towards terrorism, poverty, education, internal security, Pakistan etc. Amazingly, the factors are how likes of Ramvilas Paswan, Mamata Banerjee, Naveen Patnayak, Chandrababu Naydu, Jayalalitha etc. think of their political foes and freinds. Is not it ridiculous?

It is an election to decide the fate of our whole country or to decide the fate of bank balances and cheap power brokering capacities of these regional players? If Patnayak and Naydu has snapped their ties with BJP, has it anything to do with how BJP thinks about the national, economic or foreign issues. Or, if Ramvilas joins hands with Lalu and Ajit Singh sits in BJP’s lap, has it anything to do with what these two leaders and parties have common in between. I don't think so and I guess not even any of them gonna claim the same. Therefore, It is a shame on the part of our democracy, that people with narrow visibility and sight far from national paradigm, are having the keys of our national politics.
No matter, how loudly we shout the slogans of our democracy being matured and great, I think it is not only immature but have fully derailed from the tracks of our constitutional dream.

Are we at the mercy of terrorists till May 16th ?

India is preparing for the most mammoth democratic drill of this world. So, it is very natural that all our security forces, para military forces, police forces and all other institutions bestowed with the responsibility to protect Indian citizens are busy with preperations of general elections. But is it equally natural that the Home Minister should tell the country that during the election process, the government is incapable of giving protection to the countrymen.

Mr. P Chidambaram, incharge of internal security of our country and the UPA Govt in the leadership of Congress party had done exactly the same thing. They have pleaded that the govt can't secure the IPL tournament because the all the
security instruments are busy conducting elections. But can the govt be absolved of his responsibilities in the name of elections.

Should we conclude that no ambassy, no national leader, no monument, no market, no mall, no railway station and no public place is safe enough during the two month long election process. So, if the government has conceded its incompetence vis a vis the terror netword in and out side of this country, why don't this government send a request letter to LeT, JeM, Taliban and Al Qaeda pleading for a recess period because more than 1 billion people in Hindusthan are at their mercy as long as the biggest democratic exercise is on.

Don't read too much in Karnataka's victory

Karnataka has lauded its mandate at its peak voice. It is true that the BJP has got its victory with a marginal difference. But at the other side, some figures make the contrasting point. First, BJP has gained more than 30% in terms of seat as compared to the last elections. Secondly, it is in spite of the fact that the party was in power for last two years and Congress had anti-incumbency card in its hand too. Thirdly, this was the first ever election after new constituencies formed due to delimitation, that BJP has figured in its favour. Forth, in the delimited era, BJP has secured far more seats than Congress even in reserved areas. Fifth, BJP had fought this election predominantly on national issues. And last but not the least, Congress had fielded its trump card during the election campaign, i.e Rahul Gandhi, himself had been touring the state breadth and length during the campaign.

All these factors definitely make the marginal victory more important for BJP. As the party is repeatedly highlighting, the first sole victory of BJP in south of Vindhyachal is no less an important phenomena for the Indian polity. But it would be naive to extract very enthusiastic inferences with this victory. Neither does it signal any national phenomena for the next general elections nor is it going to serve the power cake to the BJP in other southern states in near future. One should not forget that in Karnataka, BJP had emerged as a reckoning force a decade ago. In contrast, it has to even mark its footprint in other Southern states AP, TN and Kerala. TDP is no longer in good humor with BJP in AP, whereas Jayalalitha can hardly transfer its vote base to the party's bag. Kerala's demographic balance is in gross contrast to BJP's ideology.

So, the first sole victory in the southern state worth rejoiceable for BJP, but one must not read too much between the line.