Signs of Democracy

As the world’s biggest democracy gets ready for polls across the country spanning a good 35 days, sitting miles away I miss the poll frenzy and the accompanying vote mongering. They say democracy is on its last leg and the world is full of pseudo democracies tapering towards crony capitalism. This is not an effort to analyse the state of democracy or weigh its pros and cons, but merely an attempt to analyse the symbols and its associated significance to the democratic process in India.

The symbols of parties have always fascinated me, the importance that this has in our democracy is of monumental proportions since in a majority of the game changing regions across India the voter votes for the symbol ignorant of the party / candidate or his / their credentials if any.

The sprouting twin leaves competes bitterly with the rising sun even though a knowledge of elementary school level science will tell you the leaves are dependent on sunlight to survive. People supporting Sickle, hammer and star could actually see stars and die of hunger if ears of the corn or paddy on the woman’s head are not reaped with the help of a sickle.

How good a lotus is when there is no water, so in comes another party with hand pump as its symbol. Lotus symbolises divinity and sanctity but the very same divinity could prove to be their downfall being branded anti secular.

Then the omnipresent palm that can be interpreted in different ways depending on its orientation, a palm facing up is seeking money and could well be the hand behind the scams, a palm facing down says I don’t have any to spend on infrastructure, a palm positioned vertically says you get beaten black and blue if you fight for your fundamental rights. The lines on the palm along with planetary alignments dictate the electoral fortunes of the would be netha. The lack of confidence amongst most of them, their ideals and their symbols is what makes them go celestial and be dependent on the movement of the stars and planetary positions. Unfortunately the very same celestial interventions that are favourable to them make their subjects see stars for the next 5 years.

This is one of the main reasons that India has moved from an Aristocracy to Democracy and now to Astrocracy.

Other interesting symbols are the ladder that shows that sky is actually not the limit for this party but they stoop to much lower levels, bicycle is the next, you elect them and you are taken for a ride. A top for one that could leave you in a spin, the elephant that could well trample over you, the chair that they would be busy holding on to for the next 5 years.

The new kid on the block with good intentions came up with a broom thinking of making sweeping changes, little did they know that some amongst them were sweeping stuff under the carpet using the same broom, what they needed was a vacuum cleaner to cleanse a deep rooted malfunctioning system.

Stepping out of the voting booth many of us proudly display the ink on our finger as proof of exercising our franchise. Sadly irrespective of the symbol we voted for, the elected representative will soon show you the correct finger that had to be inked was, the one to the left and right of your ring finger on both your hands!!!

And irrespective of the party he is affiliated to, this will symbolise the democracy that he will represent for the next 5 years!!!