There are so many things I've wanted to write about, but call it laziness, lack of good ideas, poor writing skills or whatever you want, I have not been regular in typing my thoughts down. The annual diary writing exercise would typically last until March, and the effort itself became non-existent after I started college. It has stayed that way ever since. But as I have grown, read a bit more and discussed issues with friends, parents and others, I feel now that I do have
opinions about many things which may be worth writing down. I have indeed shared them in the past, but speaking is an ephemeral way to put forth ideas unless you make a good show out of it or interact with people long enough that they know what your opinions are.
opinions about many things which may be worth writing down. I have indeed shared them in the past, but speaking is an ephemeral way to put forth ideas unless you make a good show out of it or interact with people long enough that they know what your opinions are.
I've been meaning to shake off the writing block for a while, but the thing that really pushed me is the recent political climate in India. As I see it, our people are better informed and in search of better lives than ever before, and this is an opportunity to bring a positive transformation that we must not let go. If people are still mouthing words like "I am not interested in politics", then I have nothing but disdain for that opinion of theirs.
For once I agree with Rahul Gandhi's words, "Politics is in your shirt". Heck it is even in our food which the Maino dynasty has so graciously offered to provide us. There are three things that I
feel must happen in the immediate future. Based on what really happens, these aspirations have to be revised three or four years down the line.
1. Indian National Congress must go. For good.: I have been convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the Congress party is pure evil and has lost its right to even exist. The vile, servile and dishonest nature of each of its politicians including MMS is for all to see and I do not have to provide much in the name of evidence to prove that the party is morally and ideologically bankrupt. The likelihood of any of these politicians turning a new leaf in the near future is bleak at best. People who still think Congress can solve our problems
either belong to the party, have relatives in the party, or are deluded beyond my comprehension.
2. AAP must do well in Delhi and just do that: We find ourselves in a great big experiment, where we elected complete political amateurs, who otherwise had respectable careers outside of politics, and gave them political power to run a very important and visible state. The public and media scrutiny is going to be massive and it is going to be most difficult to deliver all the tall claims they made while asking for votes. As I see it, spending their energies on contesting elections on a larger scale would neither guarantee electoral success nor guarantee success in delivering their promises. I should also admit that I fear that my
third hope stands the risk of getting jeopardized if AAP takes a serious stab at the general elections. I have massive respect for Kejriwal, his integrity and his resolve to reform the current political setup. All talk about him being a Congress agent, BJP agent, Muslim agent etc. are baseless and imbecile. That being said, he and his team are completely inexperienced as legislators, and the great claims they make require great proof for us to accept. Handing over our national security, agriculture, manufacturing, health care and all other diverse and massive challenges to amateurs with good intentions but nothing else to show is a big gamble that we must not make. But if they do well in Delhi, get corruption cases sorted out, put the Congress politicians responsible for scams behind bars, then we can think about rewarding their national ambitions. Based on the way some of the cabinet ministers have acted in the past, it looks like they will not meet expectations. But I hope they would exceed expectations, and give us more options for the 2019 elections.(assuming that my 3rd hope would be realized).
third hope stands the risk of getting jeopardized if AAP takes a serious stab at the general elections. I have massive respect for Kejriwal, his integrity and his resolve to reform the current political setup. All talk about him being a Congress agent, BJP agent, Muslim agent etc. are baseless and imbecile. That being said, he and his team are completely inexperienced as legislators, and the great claims they make require great proof for us to accept. Handing over our national security, agriculture, manufacturing, health care and all other diverse and massive challenges to amateurs with good intentions but nothing else to show is a big gamble that we must not make. But if they do well in Delhi, get corruption cases sorted out, put the Congress politicians responsible for scams behind bars, then we can think about rewarding their national ambitions. Based on the way some of the cabinet ministers have acted in the past, it looks like they will not meet expectations. But I hope they would exceed expectations, and give us more options for the 2019 elections.(assuming that my 3rd hope would be realized).
3. BJP must come to power after the general elections with a clear majority or a small coalition: Modi has proven himself in a large state through his corruption free administration. Terms such as 'polarizing figure', 'fascist', 'authoritarian' have been bandied for ages but in none of his speeches or interviews does he come across as one. He comes across as a strong leader who has vision and integrity. To people who rubbish this and express apprehensions that minorities will be systematically targeted (which seems to be the only problem his detractors have with him) if he becomes PM, my only answer is to have
faith in our pluralistic and secular traditions. Secularism is the separation of religious belief from state machinery. Unfortunately, modern India was never a secular state in that sense of the word. For example, Tamil Nadu has a department called the "Hindu religious and charitable endowments department", our constitution still has the "Hindu marriage act", different laws for Hindus and Muslims, Article 370 etc. Our constituent assembly seems to have faithfully copied laws from our colonial masters from whom most of the members learned
law. This also explains why we still have abhorrent laws like IPC-Section 377. Modi seems to be a secularist in the true sense of the word. Although he has spoken about the Ram temple in the past, he seems to have relegated it in favor of other, more pressing issues. The margin of victory is also important here, and the last thing we want is a coterie of regional power brokers with their own agenda forming a government with "outside" support from the Congress in order to uphold "secular values". The last scenario would be a disaster that would set us further back, and sectors like power, infrastructure, finance etc. that are crying out for reform would be lost in the race for cabinet berths and the compulsions of "coalition dharma". I hope good sense would prevail.
faith in our pluralistic and secular traditions. Secularism is the separation of religious belief from state machinery. Unfortunately, modern India was never a secular state in that sense of the word. For example, Tamil Nadu has a department called the "Hindu religious and charitable endowments department", our constitution still has the "Hindu marriage act", different laws for Hindus and Muslims, Article 370 etc. Our constituent assembly seems to have faithfully copied laws from our colonial masters from whom most of the members learned
law. This also explains why we still have abhorrent laws like IPC-Section 377. Modi seems to be a secularist in the true sense of the word. Although he has spoken about the Ram temple in the past, he seems to have relegated it in favor of other, more pressing issues. The margin of victory is also important here, and the last thing we want is a coterie of regional power brokers with their own agenda forming a government with "outside" support from the Congress in order to uphold "secular values". The last scenario would be a disaster that would set us further back, and sectors like power, infrastructure, finance etc. that are crying out for reform would be lost in the race for cabinet berths and the compulsions of "coalition dharma". I hope good sense would prevail.
