A rich star kid gets married. It wouldn't affect a single person on earth other than the family. Yet, the news channels show the whole saga day and night for two weeks. We don't like it. We do not complain.
The price of onions goes up by a couple of rupees. It affects the whole nation. Yet, no channel reports it. Nobody cares.
We do not like paying fine while speeding on a "Speed Limit 20KMPH" marked free highway. It doesn't make sense. We do not complain.
We say its a free nation. But people cannot express what they feel. It feels so wrong. We do not complain.
We do not like the policies of the Government. We do not have a choice till 5 years.
Why?
Because only a limited set of people take decisions and the rest of us have to accept. And why is that happening? Lets see.
In a democratic country, ruled by a Government for the people, by the people and to the people, how many of us actually exercise the power of Vote?
If our voting percentage is a meager 50-60% and a political party requires 60% majority to form the Government, that would mean that only 36% of the total population 'actually' approve of the Government. The rest, which, unfortunately is the majority, disapprove. Isn't it ironic that a party disapproved by the majority of the people forms the Government and rules the country for five years creating policies for the nation. And that is happening because "we" - the "we" who do not complain/care haven't voted.
And how easy is it for a powerful political party to capture 35% of the votes? A little money and some power can do the magic for them. But if they had to get the 60% to vote for them, they would have to do some real good to the country. As the old saying goes, we cant fool all the people all the time. Automatically, that would mean better policies and a better nation. Isn't it?
So, the next time somebody tells us its polling day in our place, lets not sleep late and enjoy the holiday. Lets go, vote, and make a difference.
Otherwise be prepared to SMS your guess about the chance of a movie star marrying a cricket player and we will all spend our day cribbing about it and never complaining. Its not the fault of the channels. Just that the feedback and the TRP ratings suggest they go in that direction. So if you want it to be changed, better give them your feedback.
Issued in public interest. No offence meant.
