I personally don’t believe in democracy, and long time back I had decided not to vote and I still stick to my vow. Of course as an Indian citizen it is my duty to cast my vote, but I don’t consider myself belonging to any country as such – but would love to exist as a world citizen. Tamil Nadu goes to elections today, and this has been an election of freebees so far. DMK promises rice for Rs 2, free Colour TV for have nots, 2 acres of land for landless farmers while AIADMK promises free 10 kgs rice, free computers for 12th pass students, and 4 gms gold for poor marriages. Of course the election agendas are much more but then why only agendas that cater to poor people get highlighted always?
My sister was a bit dejected that she could not vote this time as her name was not in the voting list. I told her don’t worry in any case your vote won’t make any difference to the politics. She was taken aback. She said don’t talk rubbish. Every single vote counts. I said of course it does, but the segment of people which make a movie hit and the segment that make a chief minister don’t belong to the middle class or the upper middle class. They are the one are the uneducated and illiterate poor people who belong to the lower middle class. And the politicians are completely aware of this point. Hence announcing freebees like rice at Rs 2 or free, or colour TVs or free land – all can attract only the poor and not the one who can afford them. And I am 100 per cent sure that the people who are reading this particular blog never use rice given at Ration Shop for their lunch or dinner!
If someone can get to power easily just by promising freebees that might or might not be given after acquiring the chair in my opinion ain’t fair democracy. It is corruption or creating greediness among voters. Huge discounts are fine, but freebees are not accepted. There is another catch to it too. What if DMK comes to power - they will be able to only get Rs 100 every month from the people they had given TV for cable connection, they will be able to reach out to bigger masses via Sun network, and also what if they give out set top boxes on installment basis? End of the day DMK will continue to monopolize and make more in spite of giving out free TVs!
Well honestly today even people living in slums have colour TVs. The one who don’t posses colour TVs are probably beggars, and thankfully they don’t posses a voter card to vote nor ration card to get one TV after the elections are over!
Happy Voting!