My Vote, My Future and My Country... The Lament Of A Disillusioned Voter

On the 10th of April, in 7 days time, the Great Indian Election Season starts wherein each adult Indian is supposed to excercise his or her vote, and choose a party into power. To some of us, it is a vital day; to some of us, it is a duty, to some of us, it is a task, to some of us, it is unimportant... and to some of us, like me, it is a day to regret, to cry in desolation at the absence of a good choice.

2014... 23 years since I reached 18, the grand and exciting age that grants me the right to vote, that grants me a single lifetime Share Certificate in India, Inc; that grants me the ability of impact the direction of the nation and that grants me an admittedly small and infinitesimal but vital power over my own future and destiny.

And yet, despite this share, this power, this influence... I have felt disoriented and aloof from this entire excercise, remaining aloof and divorced from this entire tamasha. For, look as hard as I might, I could not spot a single person to vote for, a single person who deserves my vote. For every party fields candidates with criminal records, a subject now discussed to the point of boredom. If they dont, then you have dynasties, making me wonder and re-check my civics books for India's Government - is it a monarchy? To my complete shock, and bewilderment, I find that book stating India as a Democracy! Whats with the dynasties then? Not just Gandhi, but everywhere you see dynasties! Pretty sure that I was taught civics by a science teacher. India cant be a monarchy, methinks. No way, no how.

Then, as I began to age a bit, I started noticing things... sorry, GoI, noticing is a no-no in India, I know - but it is kind of hard to ignore the naked woman beggar, the jamaadar bathed in shit as he cleans my drain, the hungry beggar begging for a roti, the emanicipated kids running around half-naked the adolescents carrying tea instead to going to school, the half-naked men and women labourers, the power-cuts, those fantastic roads that ensure that mechanics get some earnings (a true patriot, that person who makes those shit roads - ensuring business to the impoverished. Good show!).

Then, sadly, I did my BSc(Ag) and MBA. And what is worse, someone in both colleges didnt know his job; he was bad at it. He actually taught me something. Oh, woe is me... I actually gained education. And, with that dirty word called education, came those lovely but totally forbidden things- thoughts. Time passed , I read some more. Blame the newspapers - those fools actually printed some good analytical articles, as also some misguided authors who dared to educate us heathens on what good Governance is all about. (Good Governance? Who needs it when we can have those criminals and dynasties around us? Pshaw! Stuff and Nonsense. What we need is a good, hard criminal and a monarch - 2 of them)

And then, I did the cardinal sin. I actually became a bigger fool by taking all those evil writers at their face value, and started analysing. Ooh, evil dirty word - analysis; that puts such stupid thoughts as GDP Growth, Gini Coefficient, Inflation, Per Capita Income, Implementation, Project completion time, Irrigated Area, Per Hectare Crop Productivty, Corruption free society {Sacrilege! Corruption free? India? Sent this guy to Agra Mental Asylum: he's mad}, Per Hectare Income of farmers, farmer suicides, education and literacy in India, Mortality etc etc...

Having made the mistakes above, I could then only see the stalled project due to corruption and crime, the loss to the nation due to the Mining fiasco, the simple fact that I have pay a bribe just to prove I am married (And I married in front of God and a 1000 guests. Bribes more important than both, hey?), the fact that I cant get a headway on property without grease {this grease has nothing to do with that gooey stuff mechanics use, btw}, the power cuts, the state of the Army as it doesnt have equipment, the state of health and Government hospitals, the state of our schooling system.

Sadly, having actually listened to a lecture in MBA {Yup, classmates, thats one more than you guys!), I had the sad and unfortunate ability to realise that we had been ruled by both sets of dynasties, politicians and criminals largely due to our federal status, with something called "states" being constituted in India, which meant both major parties were ruling me locally at varying times. {What did I tell you - Civics by a science teacher. She did tell me about something called a state, cant recall what. But she did, so there!}. As I said, I made the mistake of analysing, and the even more base mistake of observing.

And to top it all, I also thought! {A citizen, thinking? Whats the world coming to, anyway?} While this stupid analysis did tell me one set of geniuses were slightly better at running the Goverment {Yup, I think I know what that word means. Google Zindabad!} - it also told me that I still require to pay a bribe for just about everything, that projects are still stuck due to corruption, and so on and so forth, despite this "state" government being different. And, since my civics classes were taken by a science PhD with a post-doc in particle phsyics, this sad person taught me state lists and central lists as well. {Well, I mean - to be fair, he didnt actually expect me to read those bloody lists. But I did, kyaa karoon?} And, unfortunately, I could see both lists in deep trouble. Why Oh Why did I read those bloody lists? Those should be classified top secret Government reports!

Result? Confusion! {What do you expect if you think???? Clarity? Kyaa Samjhe ho - RamRajya Hai? Hadd Karte Ho! What an Optimist} {Well, ok, maybe idiot is a better word there. See - the advantage of an education? I read your mind! Yes, yes, I now know it is a perfectly useless skill} Both sides, the people seem similar. Both sides clamouring for my bechaaraa vote. Both sides doing nothing to make my life easier.

What did I expect and ask for all these years?

• Lesser Corruption
• Improvement in amenities like cleaner cities, no power cuts
• Education
• Cheap and Accessible Health.
• Good Roads
• A friendly police force
• A fast-growing economy

And for that, I, the discerning voter, am considered a fool. Yes, it is foolish in the extreme - asking for such things as a Marriage Licence without a bribe, good roads etc. I mean, I am alive, isnt it? Aur kyaa Chaahiye???? Amazing, the expectations of people nowadays. I am a fool for I used to state that I cannot find a single person to vote for.

Enter 2014. Once Again, Elections. Once again, the chance to alter the future of my country, and by extension, myself. Once again, I start that forbidden monstrosity - analysis. Once again, with a hope that by some miracle I will find someone who deserves my vote. Once again, I search... will this time be different? Will I find that impossibility? I it too much to ask - a single decent clean candidate from my constituency? This time, chances are I might. Hope lives on... being an optimist {ok, ok, ok, ok and a fool}, I once again hope with my fingers crossed... my head bent in silent prayer for my mother, my India