Rakesh Kumar Pandit
The year 2014 is very crucial for our country and also for our State of Jammu and Kashmir. In this year of Parliamentary election and Assembly election later this year, we again have to hand over the fate of our nation and State to the leaders whom we elect for the next five to six years. It is high time to act and vote responsibly for our social well being, our economic well being, for our physical security especially of our women folk and above all, right to get heard for next five years. Our elected members are supposed to be our voice and force through which we get empowered and fulfill our aspirations. The country is facing all sorts of problems like economic, internal security, external security, communal tension, corruption and many more. The people of the nation expect that our new Government and new elected members take proactive role to sort out these problems to some extent. The political parties are coming out with manifestoes which are as usual full with promises. It is difficult for general masses to go through and understand these lengthy manifestoes, when at least 40% of our population is still illiterate. It is important to mention here that it is this percentage of people who bother most to vote. Unfortunately our people are susceptible to hollow slogans and catchy phrases. But this time they should apply their mind and never accept the things at their face value. How much political parties will succeed in implementing manifestos effectively with ever changing circumstances, only time will tell.
The permutation and combination of the numbers are being worked out to form the next Government at the centre. It is changing every week and it will go on till the formation of the next Government at the centre. As far as national scenario of political parties is concerned some are fearful of the events which may unfold if no political party or front will touch the magic figure of 272. Arvind Kejriwal’s short stint in providing an alternative to Congress and BJP has not gone well with the people of this country because it didn’t fulfill any purpose. He was boasting of better and effective governance before Delhi elections but he failed to understand that it cannot be provided in a month or so. Corruption can be suppressed for a month but cannot be eliminated. It needs patience and time to provide new direction which will make the system transparent and accountable. He was in some sort of hurry for name and fame and forgets an old lesson, “Slow and Steady wins the Race.” Modi’s wave is visible and surely he is a front runner in this election, but is it really a wave in right direction only time will tell. He and BJP is projecting the mis-governance of the UPA which has resulted in policy paralysis, corruption, crippling economy, steep rise in prices of essential commodities, low growth of jobs and loss of jobs in the last five years. Congress seems a sinking ship with all its leaders looking up to Rahul Gandhi for some miracle. He himself looks a confused man in the whirlpool of anti incumbency. He does not reflect any confidence and does not have clarity of thought regarding some crucial issues like corruption. He never uttered a single word in the last five years when the Congress led Government was earning name and fame as being the most corrupt Government after independence. For Congress this election is surely going to be the toughest of all, since independence. Further there is a cluster of regional parties which are obsessed with regional aspirations, and can never provide any stability as has been the past experience. Moreover they lack a national appeal, vision and approach to take the nation forward in the times of global competition in economy, foreign policy, strategic affairs, defence etc.
Now look at the gimmicks of all political parties regarding corruption. On the ticket distribution, it is the winning factor that matters and not the taint on the candidate. People must make up their mind about such gimmicks and vote to teach a lesson to such candidates. Leaving some exceptions aside, it has been the common practice of all the politicians, that after getting the mandate, they do not look after their constituencies in a proper way. Also after getting elected, they entertain their supporters and workers and bend and flaunt every rule in the rule book for their personal purposes. People must also desist from putting illegitimate demands to our elected members. The youth of today wants our candidates to study and possess thorough knowledge of their respective constituencies in terms of its natural resources, cultural composition, topography, socio-economic condition of its people so that they can develop a framework for their constituencies and build them as model constituencies. This requires energetic, competent, and educated candidates. Therefore there must be some debate over the age and qualification of the candidates because they are our future law makers. The youth of today wants our representatives to behave in a decent manner inside the parliament so that the sanctity of the temple of democracy could be maintained. The unruly behaviour and high voltage dramas inside the Parliament and Assemblies must end now. The youth of today wants facilities in rural areas at par with urban areas particularly in health and education, so that migration to the urban areas could be stopped. The youth of India wants our leaders and representatives to be more concerned about poorest of the poor, adulterated food items, spurious medicines, substandard education in the Government schools, child labour, farmers suicide, suicides in armed forces, large scale road accidents, proper road connectivity, over exploitation of natural resources, women security, clean drinking water. The young India wants our representatives to help and be proactive to maintain the communal harmony and channelize the energy of the youth in right direction. Also young voters expect our leaders to help to implement and monitor central and State welfare schemes so that it may actually reach the target population. Last but not the least, there should be a mandatory compensation scheme for the farmers, in case of damage to the crops due to natural calamities because India is considered to be the agrarian based economy.
(The author is Assistant Professor of Physics at GDC- Bhaderwah)
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