Good sign:

May 11/2011: Recent polling in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Pondicherry and Assam has shown that average voting has been between 70 to 80 per cent. For a large democracy like India, this is a very healthy sign as it assures all that people are very conscious of their democratic duties.

There would, of course, be many voices that would claim that high percentage of polling does not necessarily imply a vibrant and free democracy. In some ways they may be correct. Furthering that voice, aspersions may be cast on the reasons for such large turn outs. Two major reasons could possibly be put up that may seem acceptable to many of the couch potato critics of democracy that India abounds in today.

First, it could be said that money being spent in huge quantities invigorates the masses to come out in huge numbers, braving the elements, to press the button to vote the symbol most appreciated by them. Obviously it means the political parties and their candidates spend the money to induce the ‘innocent’ voters to go ahead and cast their ‘invaluable’ votes. The votes do carry a value, no doubt, but that kind of an inducement may not be all that bad. It’s like having cheer leaders screaming and dancing, all scantily clad, for every goal or run scored. In this case, simply put, the cheer leaders transform into good looking currency bills. Let’s look at a case scenario. If God started to grant one-wish-per-visit to a temple (or mosque or church) for every heathen, would we not all turn heathens and take the benefit from the pine trying to change our beliefs? Most probably, even believers would love to turn up at those God homes and snatch the benefits. In the process, pinity would get more head count and, if seen in a background of democracy, the Lord would defeat the Satan in a much easier way instead of the trials and tribulations that His faithful have to suffer now or have been suffering from time immemorial. To wind up this issue, if voters are made to vote any which way, let us accept that it is a very healthy sign for the democratic process of our country. Let no one argue that these inducements will, actually, make the average voter cast his opinion in the fashion dictated to him by the inducer. She or he would be a complete fool who thinks the Indian masses cannot deduce for themselves what they like or dislike. Only idiots will think that way.

Second, there might be some who may claim that muscle power influences voters to get the hell out of their homes and go cast their votes. This also may be an acceptable thought. On the other hand, let us not forget that we are a nation of disobedient people. If the traffic light is red, we get the impulse to rush through. If the government is setting up a drinking water project in our village, we want a tap just outside our door or there should be no supply system in the village at all. This means everything has to include us in the plan of things or nothing should exist at all.

Extremely self centered and completely greedy, the average Indian may get frightened inpidually but then that is why we always see mob violence in this country. All you gotta do is look at Noida now. The cops are a mob. The farmers are another mob. Equally violent and intolerant towards each other, they can fight like dogs. That is the image of Indians when they are in groups. So, no muscle power is strong and large enough to dictate terms to such a huge disobedient and undisciplined crowd as seen in this country. A politician or a goon may capture a booth but that is possible when, in that village or area, his or her support is already in a majority. Where a goon does not get majority support, trying to capture a booth would result is getting beaten and smashed to death.

As most Indians are not great travelers, they are incapable to look beyond the borders of their nation. Forget Pakistan. Look at the great China. Totally totalitarian. Look a little further. Syria, Egypt, Yemen and even Indonesia, Bangladesh or Libya. All those countries are governed by people who have been in power since generations. Or at best, democracy like the type seen in Bangladesh where the military has to first approve election counting results before they are put up for public knowledge. Would Indians be really happy in that kind of a situation is a big question. So all citizens should be counting their lucky stars and not crows that there exists a system in India where they have, in reality, are able to express their views and opinions.

All in all, high percentage of voting means the common mass cares. Even if once every five years, they want to have someone they like in a post where they have the total power to appoint. Bravo to the average Indian voter.