The Unhappy Election

The heat and dust of this scorching summer has got to all of us who live in India. Adding to the heat, the noise, the dust and the countless irritations of daily life has been the cantankerous din of an unhappy election campaign.

I say unhappy because the overwhelming sub-text of this campaign has been unhappiness as much as the sub-text of the 2009 elections was happiness. 

Nearly everyone is unhappy with the central government's functioning over the past five years. For many of us this has translated to voting for Mr. Modi. Others have decided, unhappily of course, to vote against Mr. Modi, driven by mankind's oldest enemy - fear (see my post titled "Fear"  dated 23rd March 2014).

One of the slogans that is driving Mr. Modi's campaign is 'Acche Din Aanewale Hain" which in spirit ( not in exact translation mind you) means "There is light at the end of this tunnel'. 

For some of us, the hope is that we emerge into the light on the 16th of May, whatever the result! For this apolitical lot all politicians are basically the same and elections are like a visit to the dentist, to be borne with forbearance.

For many ardent fans, new and old,  if Mr. Modi  emerges to be the next Prime Minister, it will feel like they have emerged from Stygian darkness to a brilliant vista of unending delight. Caution my friends. Remember nothing much would have changed for ordinary people like us. The quality of government services will remain abysmal if not absent on the 17th of May. The depredations of pervasive corruption will still be with us. It will take hard resolve, hard work and time to make change happen. So mute the elation, lower the expectations and wait and see. Because after emerging from one tunnel if we enter another, the depression of darkness would be multiplied manifold by dashed hopes.

And those among us for whom a Modi victory feels like the beginning of a nightmare, I can only say, please wake up and smell the coffee. India and the idea of India are much too strong and rooted for any one government let alone any one man to harm its basic fabric. And also do remember that the past is seldom a good predictor of the future. Furthermore the pervasive color of humanity is grey and not black or white. And if you believe in secularism (by which I presume you mean the separation of the State from religion - all religions) than you must also believe in democracy. And if the people have spoken, accept the fact with a smile, reiterate your belief in the mysterious wisdom of the collective and give the man a chance, even if it is in the form of a long rope.

All in all it has been a summer where the zeitgeist has definitely been blue. And if the general unhappiness continues after the 16th I will seriously consider retiring to a remote mountain top and descend only with happier times.

PS Here is something to wash away those election blues: