National election and Government formation

Related to the subject matter, we seem to live with lot of amnesia, wishful thinking, incomparable comparisons, sweeping assessments and throwing unpalatable truths under the carpet. The media ( both print and visual ) is the biggest culprit of these tendencies.

· 30% to 40% of MPs were being replaced in the national elections in the past, which happened this time also. So what is there to hype about it.
· Media launched hyper campaign urging everybody to vote. Now is there any difference between one who votes negatively, i.e., to none of the candidates, as allowed by Election law and one who does not vote. In many countries the %age of voting is slightly above, equal or lower to the level of voting in this country. Since the number of voters for each constituency is far higher in India ( because of our huge population ) compared to almost all countries, in relation to the concept of election, does it matter if voting is 40% of voters population, which would be much higher than the votes polled in other countries.
· Caste was not the sole or even the most important criteria for voting in villages in the past as has been the case in this election also.
· There has been no youth wave this time, as media made it out to be. In fact the number of youth elected this time is lower than the number of youth elected to the first Parliament.
· Media hollered: ‘ this country must be now be run by youth, as in other countries.’ By far most of the countries are run by old people. And then again why make this principle only for running the Government. Going by the philosophy of media that youth will deliver, why not old people in all other professions and business and trade and particularly in the fourth estate retire.
· Media now comes out with lot of half hearted explanations on their predictions going wrong.
· There was call in media for American type presidential election debate in India also. Alas, there is no limit for ignorance. In America either of the two candidates is elected as President. In India the leader of the ruling party and/or the opposition leader could lose in elections and then again it is only after the election the party nomine for the post of Prime Minister is decided / nominated by the parties. So who will debate with whom before the verdict of the elections.
· Nepotism, corruption and inefficiency are parts of all walks of life in India. Then why think in terms of only politics to be above these negative attributes.
· To media America is the world or the country to emulated. But from a number of points of view that is wrong ideal. Take the recent financial scandal or the warming up of the earth or uninhibited consumption, then America is not at all the model. There are over 25,000 lobbyists in USA. Whoever can influence the elected and Government there, get the dividends. And in this process much money changes hands, illegally, apart from other allurements. Should we emulate that example.
· Dynasty in politics. This is also questioned by media and typically the media quotes the example of America. But societies of these two countries differ vastly. In India family ties are much more strong. Father to son in terms of bequeathing property is the norm. Son follows father’s profession or occupation, be it agriculture, business, profession, politics. So why only pick on politics.
· Caste politics is derogatively addressed as a major problem in India. But then world over the situation is not different. White man vs Black man, Catholic vs Protestant. In our personal lives we follow all the nuances of the castes to which we belong. Then how could it be separated in politics.
· The media is its full blast on the economic reform agenda for the new government and what media means reform agenda is only related to business. Yes, that has to be attended to. But the first priority has to be delivery to the masses provisions made by Government, be it providing drinking water, education, medical facilities, assured employment for a number of days, etc.

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