Demonstrations

 While returning home from college, without fail these days, I come across a demonstration, a morcha. In a way, it is but natural, as it is the season of the local municipal elections. 

Typical is the look of most of these. No, the people participating in these political demonstrations hardly look politically aware at all. They do not even look as if they work anywhere, anyways. Often, they have 'that' enjoyment look. In brief, they make you wonder if their participation is indeed paid, as is often alleged. 

At times, there is another 'youthful' group in such demonstrations. They would be riding the mobikes which would be sound polluting, making the utmost sound. There would be at least hundred vehicles on which would be riding some three hundred, clarifying that very instant how much their 'party' and its leader(s) care for rules and regulations!

What use do these demonstrations serve? Most all drivers, two wheeler riders, pedestrians find them a bother. Instead, if the candidate were to go from door to door canvassing as well as trying to find out the real problems of the residents in the ward, it would be a genuine participatory poll. 

There could be 'corner meets'. Such meets could address the genuine issues of the residents. Is anyone genuinely interested in sorting out the local issues? That IS the real problem!

For a PG 'Paper' entitled "Indian Writing in English", which I used to teach for Semester III, was prescribed this Khushwant Singh story. In a hamlet, there is this saintly person, truly concerned with each and every problem of each and every individual living in that area. He would always find kind answers n easy solutions to all the problems, however difficult they may appear.

Everyone wants him to be their representative, and each one is sure he would be the uncontested winner. The night before the polling day descend 'party' people with liquor, heaps of non-veg food, and 'gifts', money, clothes, utensils.

On the day of the voting, vehicles arrive in droves, taking the voters to the venue. On the way, they are again served tea n savouries. They 'do the needful' as told. Once  voting is over, their relevance for the next five years at least is lost. They trudge back home in the summer afternoon, the dirt road almost like a furnace. 

On the election result day, the sage, it is found, could not garner even a dozen votes, while the "party" candidate has won a landslide victory. This story of the early fifties is still relevant, even today. That IS the tragedy of demogaugy, eh, democracy!

Pratima@ During my Ph. D. days, I was once going to the Univ. Dept. There was this demonstration, by THE party vociferously fighting an ideological battle against injustice, especially representing the problems of graduate and post (post) graduate students. It was a huge, big morcha. Participating in it were mostly school children! Poor Marx!

Quote of the day:                                                         "Politics is most often the last refuge of the scoundrel". Samuel Johnson sure would not mind the minor, though significant, change to his famous quote.

Word of the day: guile.                                             Guile is  conscious deceit and treachery, something that must be avoided in any, and every,  relationship.

Let us learn grammar:                                            Let us suspend this feature till December 31, and let us renew it on January 1 as most people are in the year-end mood.