Politics and the senselessness of it all

Of late I have found myself writing more than I have in the last couple of years. Let me rephrase, I am posting a lot more, not writing, because I am now writing of things that I am comfortable sharing. There have been research pieces and thought pieces that I have written in the last couple of years that unfortunately I am hesitant to share in public because I was advised that I sometimes write on topics so controversial that posting in my own name may not be good for me professionally. So, taking that advise I have been selective on what I have posted.

One of the many topics that has interested me over the years has been history. Another one has been politics. In fact, I started writing this blog because I was so frustrated with the affairs of governance of my second home city in the world, London. Well, I will admit that I was a Boris Johnson supporter then. Don’t judge me, hindsight is always 20/20. I then covered the Indian elections for a US website, and I had some very firm views as well. But over the course of the last decade, this is the first time I find myself completely disinterested in politics. I am not indifferent. I am just not drawn to discussions or to writing of what I think. And that is what I want to write about today. Why am I suddenly so disinterested in the polity of the world?

Can anyone point out a single speech, given by a single world leader barring maybe Angela Merkel that talks of thought leadership or is toned with dignity and grace? I would love to hear or read something in that shape and form. The last that I could remember the same was when he had a PV Narasimha Rao, an Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a Lady Thatcher, a Barrack Obama and most recently a Merkel. Of course, this is in my opinion that they had thought leadership and grace and dignity. That some of their decisions may not be right is not the point of contention. Yet slander, arrogance and crassness were not their methodology. I can say the same for Arun Shourie who I had the chance of hearing in person and meeting in person too. It left a great mark on me, a mark of an intellectually honest and dignified politician. The question I am asking now is if he actually is a politician!

Let me leave out the entire four years of oratory of the orange. I think we can all agree that it sometimes stymied the mind into numbness; but we must respect that there was a voting population that liked that agenda or propaganda whatever you may call it. If I want to be heard, then they deserve their voice too. If it soaked my brain with chloroform, it was my problem and mine to deal with. Those who thought otherwise definitely had the right to elect the leader they thought fit. However, I remained uninspired and well that was away from the shores of this ancient land called India. So let me examine what has happened here…

Let me start with the engineer. Someone who started as the representative of the educated middle class wanting to change the system from within. Educated at a premier institute of the nation he showed the light for the youth. Maybe there was hope but then he won the capital city state of India in a turn of events that was less than dignified. Yet the fact that he gave the historically powerful a run for their money is commendable. I would have thought that his first term, sitting in the opposition, would not only have been more graceful but may also have had provided a ground for training. That did not happen. Instead, now in these elections, the man has gone completely senseless. His latest remarks had me scratching my head for a while and I still did not see what he wanted to convey other than sway the public by calling himself the disciple of a freedom fighter. He was retorting to alleged allegations of him being called a terrorist and said that just like the British called the great Bhagat Singh a terrorist. the corrupt politicians of the country were calling him, a disciple of Bhagat Singh a terrorist.

So here are my questions to him – what are the ideals of Bhagat Singh that he has deployed to date? How come the fact that he considers Bhagat Singh a guru only being propagated today? Allegations of corruption have been made against him as well. He is also a politician. So, is he saying he is calling himself a terrorist? And then his tweet calls himself a “sweet terrorist”. Really! This is because he claims to have done a lot of work on education and healthcare. If that were the case, then why did the state of Delhi suffer severe oxygen shortage in the second wave, and he could only finger pointing but not secure oxygen for hospitals starving patients of their breath! Let me forget the past. For the current elections, why is there no discussion on the statistical improvement done and how that will be implemented in the next states where his party is fighting for elections. All this emotional barfing is no different from what we have done since years to confuse the electorate! What had emerged as a potential beacon of hope was just a shooting star that has lost its shine and been enveloped in the darkness of the universe that it floats in.

Next in line are our great leaders from the political party that has a family legacy. The total discord and discontent in that family run party is now well known and the intelligent minds are somewhere idling in the background as the next generation is trying to use the family name and fame to influence the voters once again. But look at how their comments shape up –Punjab should be run by Punjabis but UP people are not interested in coming and ruling Punjab! Really, we want someone to “rule” someone in this day and age! Their mindset is still as if they were the rulers and the rest of the citizens the subjects. Have they really forgotten that this is a socialist, sovereign, democratic republic! What more can be an insult to the constitution of this nation whose first PM was the family and party patriarch! But the emotional electorate does not notice the nuance. Unfortunately, my analytical pea sized brain does and gets fogged all over again.

While this party talks about the current party in power dividing on basis of religion they have adopted divide and conquer on their own agenda. Just that they are camouflaging it as women empowerment. Free rides for women passenger in government buses and 40% reservation for government jobs is nothing but luring a gender based on promises that have weak economic basis and potential to fracture the society on yet another level which is gender. While I may have to content that all politics is luring the vote bank; what irks me the most is the very emotionally twisted mythology loaded delivery of the message. While clamouring that there is a rise of Hindutva, they use the same Hindu mythology to demonise the current government. Double standards like this once again misses the masses whose emotions are heightened, and I am stumped by this irony.

These speeches and promises are not all serious. The next one had me in splits. This is from the so called third front, an unsaid coalition of sorts of all other parties who would like to make it to the governing seats and earn their share too. One of the leaders said the following – a train with 70 seats takes 300 passengers and is not fined so why is there a fine if there are three people on a bike? The man in question went ahead to promise that if his party was voted in then they would allow three people on bike to ride else fine the trains! I am still laughing out loud. I mean centre of gravity, space, road safety, none of this comes to mind of anyone writing or hearing this speech. Just use any analogy to make a statement that can be inciting! That seems to be the way that every politician approaches interactions with the citizens.

And lastly it comes down to those who were voted into power the last time both at the centre and as the governing party for the largest state of the country. I completely lost all faith in them when the chief minister of the largest state, after the second wave, said that anyone who claims that there were deaths due to lack of oxygen in the state should be imprisoned as that is fake news. Having lost a direct reportee in that state due to lack of oxygen, due to the complete apathy of the government, due to the restrictions imposed on RTPCR testing; all I can say is that someone who cannot admit their mistake but still wants to roar with rage has lost my vote and thus my interest. He has the complete confidence of the party leaders and it baffles me. I cannot seem to digest this.

While the world of Indian and global polity engages with citizens in this, what for me is unintelligent fashion, I have chosen to invest my brain power elsewhere. I would like to be able to lead a life that is productive and has a positive impact on the people I interact with. I will do my duty and vote and when I do that, I will take an informed decision. Till then I will enjoy this wonderful life with more exciting and less constricting avenues.