(1) A citizen who thinks independent of party politics :
Why ?
Because a citizen is not a member of a political party. And so not bound and blinded by any particular ideology. It is not necessary for him to follow party line.
The main aim and objective of political parties is to gain seat of power. To achieve this aim, political parties may resort to any tactics that may be harmful to our national interests.
The aim and objective of citizens is to choose a right dispensation for governance which can run affairs of nation and state for the common good of the people in general.
This can be possible only if citizens think independently, scientifically and rationally. Even one of the fundamental duties enlisted in article 51-A(g) of our constitution enjoins upon us, the citizens, to develop a scientific temper, humanism and spirit of inquiry and reform.
(2) A citizen who explicitly expresses his displeasure to the harmful acts of politicians such as personal derogatory remarks for each other.
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(3) A citizen who encourages genuine appreciation of a rival by a rival where it is required. Scientific temper and the spirit of inquiry are the instruments in the hands of citizens to judge such things.
Why ?
Because these two things will promote magnanimity and help reduce enmity and hatred. Members belonging to different political parties are all Indians and in that sense, brothers and sisters. Where is the need to spew venom? They do it because we, the citizens, clap thunderously, when they, the politicians say venomous one liners to arouse our base feelings
(4) A citizen who explicitly expresses his displeasure to the vices communalism, castism and parochialism etc.
Why ?
The era in which world is flat and has been reduced to a global village, these three vices will take us back to the dark age in human history.
But the core question is, just the expression of displeasure by the citizens can bring the politician back to the right track ?
Emphatic YES my citizen friends, because all politicians are highly sensitive to the fragrance of VOTE. And that fragrance of vote emanates from our body language.
A thought provoking article, Yashodhar. I agree with you entirely. I hope you will continue this as a series with the follow up articles on How to achieve this ideal. What I liked the best was that we all need a grass-root movement, which your blog has generated. It will catch up.
ReplyDeleteU Luckily wrote that its a dream.... n dreams r dreams, they normally never converted into reality.. 2day's politics has reached to that level of unethicalness that its realy not posible to rectify it... bt then also i hope it comes true...
ReplyDeleteI do not agree with Kishor. Independence of India from British rule itself was a dream of our visionary leaders that came true on 15th August,1947. After that we, the citizens of India kept thinking that some people from among us would keep doing all the good things for us and a majority of us will keep eating those sweet fruits without doing constant effort to maintain high moral values ourselves. Politicians whom we always keep blaming for all the ills that we see haven't come from some far away galaxy. They are from among us. In a democracy,every politician is dependent on citizens to achieve power and then to remain in power. This is the reason why I believe that the right signals from the citizens will be a harbinger of change. But unfortunately it is the inverted thinking of us, the citizens, that some one above us will keep doing miracles for us. The politicians are from among us and lesser in numbers than citizens in a nation. As the story goes in Ramayana, Hanumanji was cursed to forget his powers by a Rishi. Then the same Rishi gave the solution that if he is reminded of his powers by others, he would be able to use his powers. We, the citizens seem to have been cursed by inertia. We need to realize our power in a democracy. This blog is my effort to remind my citizen friends of their powers to bring the right change for themselves
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I wish you keep on writing such thought provoking articles at certain intervals of time.
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