Who is a politician?
A politician is the one who deals with policies. He may be a policy maker or a policy editor. His job is to safeguard the constitution along with the fundamental rights of a democratic country through his policies.
The 20th century saw a revolution in the political arena of the third world countries. Most of the countries took refuge of the democratic form of government to run their countries.
There is a popular saying that, “politics is a third class ‘game’ played by fourth class people”. Well, politics is not a game. But democratic elections have turned out to be a game in a country with multi-party coalition format.
In India, the general view about the election is a competition among the ‘political’ class of the society to take the ‘throne’. To make the scene clearer, the TV channels have introduced the reality shows these days. Elections are no different from the reality shows. The participants who are the political leaders make a political agenda and present themselves before the voters. They do their best in the election campaign. Because, in everyone’s sub-conscious mind, they have a feeling that the election is the biggest challenge for a politician in a democratic country.
Now, let’s forget this self-styled game of winning and losing.
Who is a citizen?
In a democracy, a citizen is the one who has elected the government to run his country. And because there is a multi-party system, he has the right to choose anyone, but is expected to follow; support the winner, i.e., the one who has made a successful government.
But, he may not support the government if he doesn’t feel like. It’s this basic of democracy which makes it a better form of governing as compared to monarchy or dictatorship.
The ‘winner’ of the election again is a people’s leader, if the majority chose him and he has to safeguard everyone. He is chosen to look after the whole country and not only those who voted for him.
Now, let’s take two cases and study them in view of the democratic system.
The Times of India, 18th April 2012: “Woman ‘molested’ for refusing to join Trinamool Congress”
Citation: “We have received a complaint by Toton Das, who has alleged that his mother was molested by a group of people who also assaulted his other family members for refusal to join the Trinamool Congress. The woman later attempted suicide by consuming poison,” said the duty officer of Marishda police station in East Midnapore district.
Tehelka Magazine, Vol 9, Issue 17, Dated 28 April 2012: “We were warned of dire consequences if we mingled with Congress members”
Citation: “This group had tried to harass us before as well. Perhaps they were angry because of a few months ago, we went to attend a Congress rally in Agartala. We were warned of dire consequences if we mingled with the opposition party.” Pinky claims to have told this to the police, but it finds no mention in the FIR.
These are two stories of different states with a similar political history. The first one is of Mamata Banerjee’s Paschim Banga where the communists have been overthrown after a long rule of 35 years and the second one is the of Tripura, the last bastion of the Reds in India.
In both the stories, there is one thing common; a woman has been made the scapegoat. And, in both the stories the governing political parties have been accused.
My point is, if you are a good political leader then every citizen will support you without even a request because deep down inside, even the most corrupt man wants a good person to show him the way to a better country.
But, due to the political game of election, the ‘players’ develop a feeling of insecurity that they might ‘lose’.
Well, politicians need to learn the morals of politics once again. It’s your country that is losing her dignity with every passing election game, your loss or win is secondary.
This Article is featured in Youth Ki Awaaz: The Mouthpiece for Youth