Rider: Don’t read if you think you-know-it-all.
Now, another rather lengthy disclaimer: I completely understand
that I as an individual, am nothing or at maximum, like a small particle on this
planet. Just one out of 633 crores of total population of Great Earth and one of
130+ crore ever growing Indians. Actually this is part of my blogger profile and
I say this in my introduction, sometimes. Nobody needs to remind me. SO, this
is not about me, as an individual. In my life, I, almost as an unwritten rule,
do not react to what others think of me. And that irritates and infuriates the people
who try to abuse, insult, or to hand out clever indignities/ embarrassment toward
me, personally. Just for example, you earn X amount of money and I, earn Rs. 100
less than your X amount and you remind me that in so many ways. My default reaction
(or lack of it) is what I call ‘royal ignore’ or ‘is it worth my time and attention?
Mostly not’.
Now, on the current topic: See India is a fascinating country
and something or the other interesting, weird, subliminally exciting keeps happening.
General election 2019 is, certainly one of them.
And the outcome of the mammoth election this time was equally
thought-provoking. Mr. Modi led NDA won handsomely.
I am seeing/ reading a lot of reactions and analysis. Some are
operative obituaries of Congress. Some reactions are well thought out and intellectually
explained. Some people discount this as heralding a change of India for worse, communal,
bigoted and intolerant aberration. Second time in a row after 2014! (Well, more
on this in a separate article.)
And then there are some people condescendingly declaring election
result as a manifestation of opinion of the uncouth and crude masses. Because some
in the lutyens media and a select few brainy people in Delhi, think so.
Particularly offending are some of the feedback that I come to
know.
And hence this written piece! (Irrespective of the number of
people referring / reading this bog website of mine.)
For a change, I am reacting and responding! In my capacity of
an Indian citizen. In my small way. (Negligible and trivial, some will say)
One of the Congress spokespersons tried to intellectualize. She
claimed that the BJP + NDA is winner because it gets the votes of the people, specifically
in the Western parts of India and in the North, North East and majority in the East.
And these people who vote for NDA, are not educated, not refined enough. She effectively
meant that these people lack understanding, manners, and grace and can easily get
swayed by surgical strikes/ Balakot air strike, because they do not have polished
brains! Just imagine! We all are given a
certificate by a Congress spokesperson. She
went on to pontificate that in the South of India, BJP + NDA do not/ will not be
successful because people there, are more mature and educated.
If that’s true I don’t understand what the logic of 25 BJP wins
in Karnataka is (51.38% votes)? 4 wins in Telangana (19.45% votes)? 0 wins but 12.93%
votes in Kerala, 3.66% votes in Tamilnadu? These figures are from official Election
Commission website. Congress got 8 wins in Tamilnadu, 15 wins in Kerala and 8 Loksabha
seats in Punjab.
Other offensive proclamations, I came across, are again so flabbergasting
and audacious that they border on the obnoxiously hilarious!
One of the senior writer-directors of films and plays, stated
smugly that people, at large, did not understand basically what Rahul Gandhi tried
to say, convey, project against Modi and BJP. People do ignore because of a lack
of understanding! Another senior actress proclaimed in a high-level/ very intelligently
written article that there is a state of dim-wit dullness in the people because
NDA voters believed in the technology-driven campaign, show-off/hollowness of Modi
and Company! Development work done or perceived Hindutva, notwithstanding.
I mean, I understand the frustration and helplessness of the
self-certified elites. They think this is an uprising of the down-trodden/ outsiders/
semi-literate masses against the well-heeled, ‘I-know-it-all’ liberals. In favor
of NDA. So be it. At the last count NDA
won 354 out of 543 (practically 50 % votes at India level). And Congress, 52 (8
plus to 44 of 2014!). UPA is 92.
It is open to interpretation.
Congress and others need to introspect, at the least. Rahul
Gandhi had famously and forcefully specified that “he has dismantled Modi”. Many
times, as latest as 19-20 May, before the actual results!
Old order, self-serving eco-system, and carefully contrasted
but now shabby edifice is crumbling. That hallmark arrogance and haughtiness and
‘we-are-born-to-rule’ attitude is being crushed by the people. Plain and simple!
These parties and the pro Left/ Cong lobby are facing somewhat existential
crises. But, then deal with it. Maturely. Gracefully!
Postscript: Modi accepted the verdict with humility and
talked of inclusive India, let’s hope that position remains so.
