Politics Revisited!

Well, as the title implies.. today my post will be a bit *political*  in the terms of the recent *political history recreated* in Bengal.. initially I was a li'l apprehensive  to issue such a controversial and mature subject but then it would have been wrong on my side if I don't speak a word or two following the same..

I have left Bengal some 5 years down the line, and may be today I will be considered a neophyte to address such a grave matter but still I believe the innermost of me which had the upbringing in a highly conservative family who believed and still believes in severe Marxism. But as the 'black sheep' of the family who always went against the stride I never ever supported the bloody political views of Stalin or the illogical theories of Marxism.. I was always vocal about my apolitical thoughts and invited some hard-hitting criticism on my part from my heavy-weight political relatives. I couldn’t relate to the fact that how some big-wigs could only think about power or political strength other than doing something active about the progress of the state.. am a staunch supporter of my hometown, so if someones ever points out the shortcomings of  Kolkata, I strongly objects but then always in my back of mind I know that to some point they are right, we boast ourselves as one of the most intelligent and cultural individuals, with so much high heritage of music-art-literature.. we have Rabindranath Tagore, Satyajit Ray, Sukumar Ray, Sourav Ganguly to be proud of.. and at the same time we have Jyoti Basu, Subhash Chakraborty to be ashamed of.. we have the same party slogans to do nothing but to shout, Bandhs, Dharnas to be acclaimed for.. I wont lie there was a time when I wanted to join the political bandwagon (not of the existing power-greedy parties) but with some independent bodies who will think of people, for the people... but couldn’t do anything.. and now when I have grown into a strong independent lady still am stuck in the family life and putting my political ambitions in the backburner.. But chalo for a change at least someone had the guts to fight the CPIM's from the Bengal's political arena.. so kudos to Mamata Banerjee... but am still very unsure whether the Kolkatans will ever be free from the clutches of the political "drama"!

Well, to end just thought of sharing one of my experience related to the polls.. till date I have only casted my vote twice, during the first one I was thoroughly guided by my father and during the second & last poll I decided on my own to go for the "refuse to vote" option ( An article 49-O of the Indian Constitution allows you to do so). As I went inside the polling room, pre-decided to refuse my vote, got my verifications, signed the copy reverse, God knows why but that what the officials insisted upon. Maybe they saved a bit of 'hard work' - the 'hard work' of turning the copy every time someone signed.

And then I said " Ami amar ta vote ta cancel korte chai."

One official replied "Maane?"

Another said "Shey abar ki? Erokom hoy na, cancel korben maane?"

                       

I explained "Ami vote ditey refuse korchi."

Then one of the literate poll official said "Haan haan eta hoy, kora jay."

A visibly reluctant official said " Eta koriye dichhi, kintu apni amader khatalen beshi," he wrote down "refuse to vote" beside my name, visibly dissatisfied by the extra khatuni I imposed on him.

I went on to get the voter mark on my hand when the person giving the mark said “Apni to vote e denni keno debo daag? Debo na.”

“Apni bhul korchen ami vote diyechhi, niyom onujayi apnake kali lagatei hobe”, I replied.

“E abar kemon vote dewa holo, keno kali lagabo?”, asked the person controlling the EVM.

“Etao ek prokar vote dewa, kali lagan”, replied the official who seemed to be the most knowledgeable of the lot.

And there was I. Democratic right fully exercised while being a good citizen.

But the furore I created in a calm & quite polling booth with some ignorant officials just by refusing to vote proves one thing, that the common people hardly know theirs rights & some of the basic rules of the game. That refusal to vote after registering yourself in a polling booth was to me a slap to all those politicians and parties to whom the only thing that matters is the exploitation of power. The very fact that none of the political parties let know the common people of 49-O proves that what they care is selfish gain and in this way they are exploiting the common people of their basic rights. I’m sure only a handful of Indian citizens (especially Bengal citizens) know of this rule. Had they known it I personally feel a huge number of people would have chosen this path.

But anyways sob bhalo jar sesh bhalo.. ami holam lagamchara bebak manush.. so my thoughts, views don't follow the category of regular things..

Monalisa Mukherjee.