Elections are the bedrock of democracy: government of the people, for the people, and by the people. Every citizen should understand and honour with high esteem the election process because polls have consequences. Undermining elections through foul play by employing established institutions, outside influence, and manipulating votes has severe consequences; that is, democracy would be in peril. India is gearing up for the national election. It is a good thing for the life of democracy, but the question is: will they be fair? One of the disturbing factors in the forthcoming election is the device employed to collect votes, which is could be manipulated, as explained by many experts. If the largest democracy in the world is going to franchise its right to vote, the question is, what kind of legitimacy does it hold? The present dispensation is cosy about it, and the reasons are obvious and glaring. Without an iota of doubt, this attitude of the present dispensation should disturb the citizens for many reasons, but mostly for undermining their decision to elect their own representatives of their choice, by holding on to EVM machines, because somewhere inside us is the power to change the world. And it springs forth from the conviction that there are extraordinary possibilities in ordinary people. The Election Commission ought to take the proper course of action, and build confidence in citizens, for elections have consequences.
The election gimmicks are slowly being displayed to divert and digress citizens from truth. The present dispensation knows how to gloss slogans to influence the voters, such as ‘one nation, one election, one civil code’, ‘one religion, one language, the bill on women reservation, and inauguration of Ram Mandir’. Does this ring a bell? Take, for example, ‘One nation, one election’. Does it have any bearing on Constitution and the type of democracy India practices? Sadly, for the last decade, the BJP has played dirty with regards to horse trading. By using muscle and money power, the BJP has toppled government or formed government without having a majority by buying MLAs from other parties. In Karnataka, Manipur, Haryana, Maharashtra and Goa, despite the numbers not being in their favour, the BJP is ruling. With what moral authority does the BJP propose to hold ‘one nation, one election?’ Indian democracy is based on a multi-party system, unlike the USA, which has a republican form of government. Simultaneous elections are almost impossible to implement, as it would mean arbitrarily curtailing or extending the term of existing legislatures to bring their election dates in line with the due date for the rest of the country. Such measure would undermine democracy and federalism. Yes indeed, there are several benefits to holding ‘one nation, one election’, like saving money and time and making elections more efficient, but those benefits undermine the people’s will to choose their representative in a federal system of democracy; in other words, the federal system of democracy overrides the benefits of holding ‘one nation, one election’.
A nation going for an election must hold certain parameters to make it worthwhile and ask questions with the government, such as: Where does the nation stand? How did we arrive here? and Where do we want to go? To crystallise these questions, proper national debates ought to take place with openness and sincerity. The nation is facing some critical issues, which ought to be addressed responsibly for the wellbeing of the people and the nation. These social, political, and economic issues are meant to be taken into consideration to improve the society’s prevailing condition. If left unaddressed, it could flare up into a major crisis. Like corruption: the most widely spread endemic in India is corruption, which must be handled wisely. A glaring example of Adani and those who have escaped the country with big booty is a tragedy. Poor citizens are the victims of this pandemic, which keeps pushing them below the poverty line. Unemployment is very common among the youth. Tall promises were made by Prime Minister of creating crores of jobs, but the situation of joblessness among the youth is alarming. Agriculture distress, which is obvious for all to behold in the number of farmer’s suicides. Instead of easing the plight of the farmers, the BJP government came up with draconian laws to suppress them even further. Women’s safety is a huge concern. Although both men and women enjoy equal opportunities, as far as the freedom and safety of women are concerned, India lags behind. Domestic violence, rape, the portrayal of women in the media, etc, must be tackled. Freedom of religion ought to be tackled sensibly and objectively. It is a fundamental right, and the Indian Constitution upholds it, but sadly, under the present dispensation, freedom of religion has gone for a toss as many innocent persons have lost their lives and property. In a secular democracy favouring one religion over the others is poisoning the society. January 22, inauguration of Ram Temple was anything but the celebration of secular democracy. Pollution and destruction of natural resources should be of paramount importance. To satisfy the wonton desires of some business tycoons, the government has been trampling over the masses and violating the natural environment. The Prime Minister gloriously talks about taking India into the top three economies in the world but is silent about the humongous national debt, a curse on the younger generation, he has incurred during his tenure.
Elections have consequences, and all citizens should be concerned. Most politicians like to take the gullible citizens for a ride during the election, and they have been successful in their ploy most of the time. Abraham Lincoln said, “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.” The nation ought to be conscious of the empirical reality and the existential threat we face as we stand in time. Look around, and don’t be shocked; the fascist elements are on full display and slowly taking firm grip over the democratically setup institutions and autonomous agencies. Check out the media that operates to the tune of the government and denigrates the opposition, which is a clear sign of the ominous present and future. Your vote should therefore reflect where we want to go as a nation. Inflation is all-time high; the prices of basic commodities have skyrocketed; poor people are struggling to make ends meet; and the main slogan of the government is ‘Hindu-Muslim’, change name from ‘India to Bharat’. The people of India should rise above the ordinary quagmire of religion and caste politics to build a better and brighter nation where all can enjoy peace, equality, fraternity, and liberty. Elections have consequences, and you and I can make a difference: vote wisely!
(The author is a Priest based at Pilar, Goa)
