Sunday, April 19, 2009

Ye Hai YOUNGISTAN Meri Jaan??

"Young" is in the air in this season of the biggest 'carnival' of the largest, most enormous democracy of the world ( read- India's 15th general elections) ....but who's making the most of this political 'tamasha'......? you guessed it right......well.... everybody knows it.....it ain't no secret.....it's been happening for years, n 'change' is too far to be seen, while the 'aam' aadmi (n aurat) is still left in the lurch feeling exploited n cheated, even as the Indian democracy is into its 63rd year since it made its "tryst with destiny".........

this time round, there's this hype surrounding young political leaders professed to bring in this fresh new 'young' wave into Indian Politics....whom r they kidding?? in the name of 'young', we hv a bevy of players, all of whom hv famous second names n a bright political lineage as their sole credential......
as his only claim to fame, a young 'saffron' Gandhi ridicules the greatest Gandhi , n fanatically lungs out communal remarks in order to make a place n be heard in the deafening political cacophony and later denies it with an absolute straight face, accusing the tapes to be doctored....clearly, not courage or political will, but desperation dictates these moves.....kya ye hai 'youngistan' meri jaan?
Priyanka (Gandhi, not Chopra) spurts into the scene, like the proverbial 'Jack in the box' each time the country prepares for the polls, rooting for 'amma' n 'bhaiya'...... at most other times, she's conspicuous by her absence.....
While Rahul (yet another Gandhi) is already being propagated as a silent crusader n heir apparent to the throne of the PM, one wonders if he really deserves it....or does he?? afterall, wht more does one need than a pretty face, the right surname, chic white cotton 'kurta pyjamas' to become the PM??

Gandhis apart, the young brigade comprises of the Pilots, the Deoras, the Scindias, the Abdullahs, all of whom inherited the positions they now hold from their Daddyjis n it's on tht steam only tht they find an abode in partisan politics..........no name of a young politician strikes me who's made it totally own his own virtues.....

Danson Joseph, general secretary of Jago Party, which represents middle-class professionals frustated by mainstream parties, wails, "There is no place in politics for someone like me who doesn't have money n muscle power and the wrong surname.."(Source: Sunday Times, dated 12/4/09)....tht does reflect the sentiment of the common (young) man on the street....well, tht's the sordid state of affairs of Indian politics today.....
Does India then qualify to be called a democracy in the truest sense of the word? Does Universal Adult Franchise alone make India a democracy? Is it actually of the people, by the people, for the people?? Or is it just for a handful of people to fill their pockets n fulfil their vested interests?? it really strikes a discordant note within people like me, who can either sulk n peeve or feel sorry.....this political mess looks incorrigible to me as of now.....

40% of the country's voters today are under 35 (read- young) n this high decibel hype n hoopla of the political reform in favour of the youth appears nothing more than yet another drama to entice n solicitously woo these naive breed of voters....ouch...it leaves a bad taste in the mouth tht how politicians can make anything work to their advantage.....
n the irony of it all....who've been fielded as the prime-ministerial candidates by the two leading alliances?....an aging octogenarian who flaunts his youth by hitting a gym, and another into his late seventies, whose blocked arteries needed a bypass a few dayzz back.......

Nevertheless, a trickle of 'change' has tacitly made an entry into 'young' minds, n it'll take quite some time for this trickle to become a tide, when we shall hv young political idols to look upto........till tht time ....we, the youth, have 'roadies' to appeal to us n a sip of a beverage down our throats, only to burp out loud - "Ye Hai Youngistan Meri Jaan!!!"