For Hook and by the Crooks

Indian politics has always fascinated me for the publicity and the glamour attached to it. Cricket, Bollywood and Politics are the most famous and most earning personalities in the country. The first 2 are modes of entertainment and are a matter of choice for Indian mass. Politics is a mandatory topic and everyone; from the filthy rich to the downtrodden gets impacted by it. There are 2 main questions that I ask myself to reason out the glamour of politics. 

• Who are these people? 
  
• Why do they do it?     
  

Who are these people? 

The question is “who should these people be?” A person who represents the common man, voices their concerns and works for them, should be someone from them. Is it true?   No politician is a common man. When was the last time anyone from Gandhi family could relate to the general mass of India? A well known actor or actress cannot be a common man either. Raj Babbar or Jaya Pradha can have glamour attached to them. But can they really represent the true Indian? Govinda didn’t have the spine to hold the dam when the city was down under water. On the other side, cricketers like Sidhu can only mock the constitution of India. This is the story of selection criteria of politicians.   

I will still be fine with well known personalities to run the race if the whole idea is to get people to vote based on their bias. However, it is scary when these representatives are not only least related to common man but also active or passive law breakers. Sanjay Dutt was released from jail less than 2 years back and is a suspected accomplice of Mumbai Terror in early 90s. Several hundred candidates with voting tickets have a case pending in the court of law. Some of them commit crime during the election time itself. Mr. Varun Gandhi can openly pass raciest comments and instead of condemning him, several political parties whole heartedly support him. Arun Gawli, a known gangster is fighting election from jail. How crazy can the system go? Why is the land of saints represented by bunch of crooks?   

Why do they do it? 

Power, Paisa (money) and Prasiddhi (fame).  Power is an addiction and those who taste it cannot let it go. They want it at any cost. Same goes for money and fame.   We saw many talk trash and comment about stupid things just to be in the limelight. We hear radicals talk about needing a “marathi” PM (pointing to himself) while others gauging relocation of IPL outside of the country as “shame to the country”. The trick to arouse the sentiments of Indian mass has been the strategy of many for years.   The politicians are hooked on seeing their image on the television screen and big hoardings. It doesn’t matter for what reason they are being screened as long as they are seen by the junta. A political hook keeps them happy and famous.   

This system is similar to corruption. Why only blame the person who takes bribe? We should also blame the person who gives bribe. A similar story can be told in this context. Along with the glamour crazy crooks who want to be big, we should ask the question to the mass on why they get fascinated by these people, follow them blindly and flock to get close glimpse. In the population of over a billion, we worship these handful people who nowhere belong to the general mass; these people who are being put on the pedestal by us in the first place. Do they really mean good of us? Will they understand our issues? Can they stand along side with us when the calamity hits the common?

 

In the end, we always see the common man as an old, bald helpless person who is simple and unglamorous. He is no crook and he only wishes for roti, kapada and makaan (food, clothing and shelter). So why are the politicians anything but the above?