If the upcoming election is going to be free and fair, someone may say in future: “Politics is the first and last refuge of scoundrels”
In a ‘democratic’ country like India, when you say that you don’t believe in electoral politics and do not cast your vote to any candidate, a believer in Indian democracy is sure to pose you the question “So you don’t have voting rights in India ?” The hint he drops in the question is that you are not an Indian anymore and the only poor creature residing here without the citizenship and credentials like Aadhar, ration card, and voter ID given by the government.
In a democratic state where the government is a ruling political party and the ruling political party is the government, a person who believes that the election commission is an independent body vested with powers to question even the ruling party is indeed an Indian. But a person who defines election, as author Arundhathi Roy put it “a Ferrari racing a few old bicycles”, is the one who does not deserve to be an Indian.
It is a common belief that only the candidate who impresses the voters with his poll promises can be victorious. On the other hand, when the voters sell their votes for his opponents, the confused democracy pricks its head to understand the arithmetic. In a democratic country, the mutual agreement between the buyer and seller of votes is as binding as the consideration between the two. The faith between the buyer and seller of votes strengthens when their ‘consciences’ meet at a mutual point. But who knows the candidate of the voter’s secret choice jeering at his rival behind the indelible ink mark on his forefinger? Such a voter is indeed cleverer than the candidate when he casts his vote not to the one who paid him, but to the one who didn’t! Such an unwritten contract, whether performed or violated, is executed on the death of democracy with few mourners to give it a decent burial.
Democracy has sometimes been as dangerous as a compulsory vaccine. But the disease defined by democracy is a citizen’s personal right of keeping himself/herself away from polling. When India and Pakistan competed to claim their rights over Jammu and Kashmir, the sons of the soil stayed indoors on the poll day. But democracy there took a dictator’s avatar and dragged the people to polling booths at gunpoint. The incident showed that democracy in India is not always as soft as we think but cruel beyond our imagination. On such critical occasions, the polling percentage deserves more importance than the votes secured by candidates.
The twin leaves laugh at the rising sun. The rising sun warns of plucking out the twin leaves. The torch may tell people that the rising of the sun is a mere illusion. The hand may promise a good rule, the pot may symbolize an Amuthasurabhi and the pressure cooker may whistle its assurance of a three-time free meal a day. But if people boycott polls, then there would be no wars between a symbol and a symbol but a battle between people and politicians.
If people are not voters, then what for people to politicians?
Democracy in the election has to be beyond caste and religion. They are to be far away from the political parties with progressive ideals. Mao Zedong said “Wind will not cease even if trees want to rest” But the wind meant by Mao has become a metaphor for caste and religion in Tamil Nadu, as they do not allow even egalitarians to be egalitarian. Vote-bank politics or politics for vote bank makes even progressive political parties beg votes with the bowls labeled in caste and religion. It is the reality that even such political parties with high ideals need to play the caste card and field their candidates in the constituencies which are dominant with their respective castes.
The non-electoral pro-people movements define politicians as hypocrites and double-dealers and give a call to boycott elections. On the other side, the luxury-loving rich will drive to distant holiday resorts and rejoice in themselves on the day of the election. On the poll day, we can see the poor believers in democracy queue up under the scorching sun to get their fingers inked. The indelible black ink on their fingers is dark enough to hide the victorious politicians giving the corporate a big hug.
Patriotism is a feeling of loving your country more than any other and being proud of it. Nevertheless, Samuel Johnson defined patriotism as ‘the last resort of the scoundrel” Later, George Bernard Shaw defined politics as ‘the last resort of scoundrels” But T.J.S George titled one of his books “The First Refuge of Scoundrels – Politics in modern India”
If the upcoming election is going to be free and fair, someone may say in future:
“Politics is the first and last refuge of scoundrels”