Most of the exit polls on Monday 20th May indicated a comfortable BJP +
NDA majority. And the results of the 23rd May are very much in line with the
exit polls. Congratulations to all the successful candidates of all parties and
my best wishes to all those who contested but could not emerge as a victor.
Kudos to the entire Election Commission team and their machinery for
having planned and executed such a mammoth democratic exercise. And to the
security forces and paramilitary that guarded the booths and the ever popular
EVMs and VVPATs. A massive accomplishment indeed that often goes unrecognised.
Yes there have been a few acts of misconduct by various parties during the
campaign, even some lives lost, property damaged, some codes of conduct
breached, all of which need serious countermeasures.
My salutes to every eligible voter within the country and outside, for
exercising their franchise and helping determine the future course for the
country. For those who could not or did not vote for any reason, I urge them to
please do so in future opportunities. It is not just one’s right,
privilege or authority....it is one’s clear responsibility as a citizen of
India.
In many instances, parties and personalities, big and small, those in
power and those out of power, all of them stooped very low and used unnecessary
negative rhetoric that has inflicted wounds on other parties, personalities and
even brought some disrespect to the Defence Forces, the EC and the Judiciary.
Even the Mahatma was not spared!! As India fights to regain its rightful
eminent position in the global order, such toxic mudslinging does a huge damage
to the image and stature of India as a nation. After the elections, politicians
may shrug these off as minor misdemeanours in the "heat of the
campaign", but they should introspect on the scars that these will surely
leave on the impressionable minds of the younger generation of Indian citizen
voters and politicians and also on global opinion leaders. Our friendly neighbourhood
countries too would manipulate these to India's disadvantage. Is it too much to
ask and expect that future Indian elections be conducted in a more civil and
dignified manner?
There is a lot of talk about the "maturing of the Indian
voter". That is a very good trend indeed. Can we as citizens also expect a
"maturing of the politicians". The only time that most politicians
fold their hands, bend their backs a little and appear to supplicate is in the
few weeks before an election. They talk of the janata being the
"maalik". But once the ballot is cast and counting is done, the
hapless voter is forgotten and most of the promises made disappear into thin
air. The elected candidates feel that their position and power is an entitlement
and not a responsibility!!! Can we Indians even dare to expect our
politicians and national leadership to act more responsibly? How do we make
them more accountable? How will our politicians realise that the
"dharma" of a politician is to serve. How do we ensure that the power
and trappings of an elected candidate does not go to their heads and corrupt
them?
How can we ensure that there is a clear demarcation between the Defence
Forces and the Government? Unlike our neighbouring country where probably the
Defence still has a major hand in the way their Government is run. How can we
ensure that the Defence is not politicized and manipulated for election wins by
any party?
Today most Indians live and work in cities that are not their home town,
not where their names are listed on the electoral rolls. And they cannot always
travel back to vote. We live in the times of internet banking, e-commerce and
demat trades. Huge sums of money are transacted digitally without physical
paperwork, signatures or face to face meets & handshakes. Can we look
forward to a time when every eligible Indian voter can exercise one's franchise
from wherever one is, based on verification of biometrics and ones Aadhaar
identity?
The results of the 17th Lok Sabha elections in 2019 hold a lot of
promise and hope for the Indian economy, for an all-inclusive progress, for
further strengthening India's standing on the global stage. Prime Minister Modi
and his chief architect Amit Shah have strategized and executed their game
plan, leading to a handsome majority and their party's number growth, even in
hitherto uncharted territories. What do I as a citizen want from my PM, in his
repeat five year term?
Am sure that our PM and his cabinet are very focussed on all our
national priorities and will deliver on their various promises. Apart from
that I look forward to a few more aspects:
What I am looking forward to is that while the BJP leverages its
absolute majority in a sensible manner, they have to have the humility to still
carry their NDA allies along respectfully.
How will the PM allow the elected Governments in all the States and the
UTs, whether it is a BJP government or not, to function well? And not
destabilize them for the spread of the saffron colour?
Today there is only one truly national party and that is the BJP.
It appears that the Congress has clearly lost it's compass. All others are
smaller regional parties. How will the PM and the BJP maintain a healthy
respect for national parties and regional parties?
Talking of the Congress, which is the only other possible national
party, how will they address their clearly lacking leadership issue? And their
poor organisation structure? Will they survive another 5 years or get
lost in oblivion?
We also know that there is no credible opposition inside the parliament.
The situation that the Congress finds itself in is pathetic. For the
institution of Democracy to function well, it is important that there be a very
powerful but constructive Opposition to maintain a check and balance. How can
the BJP generate a solid opposition for itself to function effectively?
How can the PM ensure that each Central agency functions independently
and efficiently, in clear alignment with national priorities and always keeping
the Indian Constitution paramount?
How can the actual data and reality of the country’s growth be measured
and communicated clearly to one and all so there is no debate on the vital
statistics of the nation?
Picking from the PM's own words of last evening, how can the Government
focus and help the only two "castes" of relevance.....one is the
impoverished and the other is those that can do / want to do something positive
for the up-lift of the impoverished?
For India and its 130 crore humanity, these next five years are very
crucial. Almost of all us fall in that exclusive minority which is clearly and
comfortably out of the poverty level. But many of our fellow Indians are way
below the poverty levels. The real dance or “thaandav” of democracy is to be
seen from their weary eyes. The Indian Government is tasked with bringing a
huge mass of humanity out of poverty with no more time to waste.
I look forward with a lot of hope for another five years under our PM
Modi. Whether I or anyone else voted for him, for BJP or for some other party is
irrelevant. Today he is my country’s elected PM and I wish him well.
Jai Hind!
