People’s sufferings can destroy any political power

People’s deep dissatisfaction with the poor governance of UPA was the main reason for NDA victory. Many survey reports pointed out that half of the Indian population was suffering during the period. The mass suffering was channeled to votes by BJP with planned and systematic campaign. People’s suffering was so intense that it decimated caste leaders like Mayawati, Malayalam Singh Yadav and Laloo Yadav in the Lok Sabha election. Narendra Modi raised hope among people that their Acha Din has already begun. After a landslide Lok Sabha victory, BJP marched ahead in winning Rajasthan, Haryana, Maharashtra and Jammu Kashmir election. But BJP had got a severe jolt in Delhi election which had pushed BJP into an embarrassing low figure of only three MLAs. It happened suddenly and unexpectedly in Delhi which had raised so many questions about BJP’s future electoral prospect.

Poll pundits put the blame on Krian Bedi’s sudden entry into electoral politics. Somebody put the blame on Narendra’s Modi’s Rs 10 lakh suit with his name monogrammed in every stripe. Some put the blame on Kejriwal’s aggressive misinformation campaign against BJP. Some blamed Imam Bukhari for his appeal to Muslim community to vote for AAP.

The actual reason for BJP’s route in Delhi is people’s suffering. About 60% of Delhi population lives with less than Rs 12000 per month income and maintaining a family with such a paltry income is like leading a sub human life. Kejirwal cashed in on the people’s suffering by making promises to give free water, housing and electricity. It had instant appeal and voters changed their minds.

The point is why the Sangh Parivar’s thousands of members drawn from different corners of India could not give a respectable position to BJP? Over decades the Sangh Parivar matriarch RSS has groomed several generations of people with courage to question the political power if anything goes wrong even within their own party. Those breed never remains silent if something goes wrong in the governance mechanism. They are the people who are not like the British created yes men who say yes to their bosses for personal gain at the cost of the national interest. The new breed created by Sangh Parivar was in the forefront of all mass movement in India. Be it Jaya Prakash Narain’s Sampoorna Kranti or Anna Hazare’s Jan Lokpal movement. Interestingly majority of them belong to the suffering groups or 60% of Delhi population who converted themselves into denial mode during Delhi Assembly election.

Freebies can satisfy the yes men breed and not the breed of people who want to earn their livings with self-respect; who have discipline and a work culture to earn from hard work. What they need is good governance. Political leaders across the country have to shun the habit of declaring freebies. They should give up addressing the people of India as poor and backward as their condition attributes to the misdeeds of India’s political establishment. Britishers exploited Indians and their predecessors have broken people’s backbone. Politicians must mend their way by giving what people deserve. Give them transparent market, quality food, pure drinking water, extension services, pure food, health and education facilities, the common man will earn a decent living. The entire political class has to give up addressing people as common man. BJP could have consolidated its gain instead of looking for short cut to power. Short cut to power is short lived and it happens when there is a strong wave against the establishment.

Sadhvi Ritambara recently said political leaders after sucking people’s blood look like fat shining Khatmals. This is high time to tread the path of good governance with determination and hard work. The life of millions of people depends on the good governance and sound economic policies which need to be focused on increasing the productivity and wellbeing of people. The job of government is not to shower sympathy on people but to create an environment which will let the village woman sale their produce in the market without being exploited by the middlemen. Nobody wants to know why villager wants to sale his fertile land. Nobody wants to know why farmer loses a major share of his profit in the entire transaction. Nobody has examined properly why so many ghetto cities have been created across the country. This is high time to groom young generation from schools and colleges to replace the poor people in the governance mechanism. India has to shun luxurious life style until the people achieve economic freedom.

By Sudhansu R Das