Wednesday, February 11, 2015

DELHI ELECTIONS, 2015: Desi Magna Carta

I am about to do something I haven’t done in years; a political commentary.

It is true that I started out my blog with an observe-and-comment strategy with political affairs. The reason behind that move wasn’t as much of social commitment as it was the urge to keep on writing. When I chose the defining strategy of my blog, The Indian Commentator as ‘observe and comment’, I had in my mind a firm idea that I will never lack topics to write about. Later in my career as a blogger, I realized that things weren’t as I expected them to be.

I never found the stream of ideas empty regarding the publication of The Indian Commentator. However, I did find it difficult to use my observe-and-comment strategy frequently. This strategy forced me, occasionally to reveal the political ideology I am inclined to. In truth, I am not inclined toward any political idea or ideology. I do not have participation in any political party, until this moment. In future too, I wish myself to be kept away from the curved tracks of party politics.  

My blog, The Indian Commentator, moved into short fiction and then poetry. An expansion of themes followed and I ventured into many other areas like psychology and film criticism. My recent attempt is to bring the phenomenon commonly referred to as the UFO phenomenon in front of my readers. A certain category of my readers might not have familiarized themselves with UFOs and related news that have been circling the internet and other media for many years. So I intended them to be aware and careful about these happenings. This was the main reason for the change in the matters of discussion.

Finally, today, I have decided that I would take a journey backward, in a gesture of looking back and learning the lessons from past. Today, on 10 February 2015, India’s national capital exhibited what could be called a synchronistic political event. This made me comment to one of my colleagues at the day job I have, that the people of Delhi have in their minds, still, this man and his ideals. I am speaking about today’s breaking story in India’s political scene, Arvind Kejriwal’s victory over BJP and Congress, two leading parties in India.

Although I started blogging with the strategy of observe-and-comment as my prime resource, I slowly and deliberately kept myself away from commenting upon political issues. Through my blog, I never revealed my affiliation with any specific political party. I haven’t also attempted to talk in favor or denial of any of their leaders.

Writing continuously about political issues seemed to me a denial of a serious nature to my readers. When I attempt to observe and comment on any event with a political bend, I realized that I also tend to reduce the event I talk about into an event with a mere political value. Although those of you who are genuinely interested in the subject of politics might disagree with me, I would like to agree to disagree.

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The increasingly reductionist version of Indian politics has caught me short of experiencing my real essence. Who I really am seemed to be beyond any political idea. I am that I am. I needed a higher perspective to observe and comment upon any issue that might come across my mind’s eye. This may or may not have a political nature and their values and lessons may vary. Even political events have a spiritual edge to them. This was the main reason I chose to add a new tag in my blog. I called this new tag ‘Mind’, which I decided, must include articles and observations on human psyche and extrapsychic phenomenon, including spiritual consciousness. If you’d notice, this article would be featured under the tag, ‘Mind’ due to its strong suggestions towards the psychological references a writer makes when writing about an event of political nature.

Today, on 10th of February, I felt I must look at the political scene that has so convincingly unfolded in front of our eyes. Delhi’s people have decided that Arvind Kejriwal, this former civil servant who was the 7th Chief Minister of Delhi from 28 December 2013 to 14 February 2014, must once again be their Chief Minister. In the term he served before, that is, from 28 December 2013 to 14 February 2014, his first term as CM, Kejriwal decided to slice the chords of power off on the wake of his self-proclaimed inefficiency to uproot corruption.

Many political pundits have commented that this was a Himalayan mistake as Kejriwal had betrayed the people who voted for him and caused the state a heavy financial loss by forcing another election upon it.

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The reason Kejriwal raised to justify his resignation from power in his first term was that he could not pass the Jan Lokpal Bill, with the current strength of his party. Through Jan Lokpal Bill, as many say, corruption in the country could be eliminated and justice can be assured to its people.

Kejriwals’ name was first heard in association with Anna Hazare’s Jan Lokpal movement. Later, the two accepted their separated political stands and this lead to the formation of the Aam Aadmi Party in 2012. That was the ‘end of the world’ for the Congress Party that ruled Delhi.

In 2014, political pundits were after finding out if Kejriwal’s resignation could help AAP to attract more public-support. Personally, I never believed in this theory. I had thought that most probably, AAP and the Congress Party would lose, and the mighty Modi-mania would take the throne of Delhi, proving one final time the credibility of BJP to be the one dominating political power. On the contrary, something else was in store for Delhi. The people, the aam aadmi had their own verdict, their own decisions, and ideas about who must rule them.

Image Courtesy: Zee news
Perhaps, the recent religious onslaughts might have resulted in this giant victory for AAP. The people of Delhi might have found in Kejriwal what the people of Britain had found in Robert FitzWalter for being the defender of rights they believed they possessed by virtue of their human birth.

Although Christians are a minority in India, Delhi elections 2015 has had the community’s certain impact due to the atrocities committed on Christians throughout Delhi in recent months. Hindu extremists groups who would not be named in police records burned down many churches and many were ravished. A naked exhibition of cruelty and intolerance did not raise many eyebrows, as the ruling party was busy converting individuals from other religious groups into their stream of faith. In this shameless battle of faiths, trust was vanquished into a deep and dark forest of hatred.

After the visit of the president of the United States, during the Republic Day celebrations, a growing discontent on matters of religious intolerance was made into the forefront of mainstream media discussions. Thanks to Mr. Obama who referred to India’s religious diversity and also the present day threats it faces. Modi government has still not been able to win the trust of its people on matters of religious tolerance. The arson on churches in Delhi is just one among many issues that disturb a peaceful coexistence among religions, without fear, difficult.

Image Courtesy: www.pardaphash.com
Kejriwal’s victory is a Magna Carta of hopes that the people in Delhi have implanted in the machinery of their governing system. This new sprout of hope must be able to quench the thirst of justice on all issues concerning human dignity and security. The name “Aam Aadmi” refers to “common people”. Although at first sight this may bring to our consciousness the sociality ideal of proletariat, this theme should be understood closely within the Indian socio-cultural context. Most leaders of the AAP are not the so-called common people. There are rich businesspersons, writers, and activists. Here too, a socialist paradox settles down. Who is a common person or proletariat? The one who lives one’s life denying all sorts of wealthy comforts or the one who in his mind believes in lessons that can be learnt from living a life submitted to humble whereabouts?

The answer might have a demanding impact upon Delhi’s future. Let’s wait and observe.       

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