Irtif Lone
Well, as a Koshur, these elections don’t make much sense to me, and the least who comes to power and who sits in opposition in the Indian parliament. For me and many commoners like me, it has almost a negligible effect. Whosoever runs the show in Delhi, they might change all their policies from foreign to financial but what would remain unchanged is the Kashmir policy. Kashmir, for them would remain to be an integral part, which they won’t talk about. Even if some separatist leaders think that there was some forward moment on Kashmir issue during NDA regime, it would be irrational to compare NDA then under Atal Bihari and today under Narendra Modi.
And the rhetoric of “Ab Ki Baar”, has somewhat had a disturbing effect and has become a new greeting mantra and for many a sarcastic one. I for the sake of India and the people would wish, “Ab ki Baar, Modi ki Haar”. Not that I have any expectations from Congress or AAP or any other party but then if Modi wins, it would be the win of communal politics, fascism and dictatorship.
It has been only 12 years since the Gujarat riots, one of the worst which has happened in recent history. Nobody in 2002 after the riots would have thought that they would come to see this day, least the people who were affected. Modi was the Chief Minister when these riots took place and has been at the centre of allegations through all these years, and now he wants to be crowned as the prime minister of the largest democracy. For arguments sake, even if he was not responsible for the riots, but as the head of the state, he should at least once have apologised to the community who suffered the most during those riots.
Today, in 2014 elections it has come to an individual, Narendra Modi against all other parties including Congress and AAP. BJP has taken a back seat; today you ask anyone who is voting for BJP, you will get to know, that he is neither voting for the party (BJP) neither the individual MP fighting elections from the particular constituency, he is voting for Modi. Is this by any means Democracy? His individual image has become bigger than the party he belongs to. And that has resulted in differences among the top leadership, LK Advani and Jaswant Singh being the two big examples considering the stature they have had previously in the party.
There is no hope for secular India under the Modi regime. Even if all the stories of growth and development in Gujarat are true, which has been questioned at various parameters, wouldn’t electing him the Prime Minister mean that the human values have taken a back seat? Everybody wants growth but at what cost? His close aides, such as Amit Shah have already let known the intentions by addressing people in Muzaffarnagar where he said, “Vote to take the revenge”. What he meant is self explanatory.
Kashmir for that matter would continue to remain a conflict. Abrogation of article 370, which has been promised by Modi would probably never see the light of day for there is nothing left to Abrogate. And that’s not the threat looming large. The real threat is the fall of a secular India and the rise of a fascist nation, which would have far-reaching consequences for an average thinking individual. But then if he is elected, than that’s what they probably deserve.
