The Mute Spectators

How many of us actually go to an election rally to listen to what our candidate wants to say? Well, I don’t think many of us see this as a mandatory or an important event from an attendance point of view. Basically, if we look at it, it appears to be one of the most crucial platforms for a political party to address millions of voters in one go. The irony is that in many cases, the majority of the crowd needs to be artificially created by giving out free transport, meals and even money so that the attendance appears all swollen up. There are statistics on the number of rallies attended or conducted by the star campaigners showcasing their footprint before the campaigning phase ends. 

Frankly speaking, the campaigns have not succeeded in creating interest among the common man or a woman to attend with all excitement. By now everyone knows each parties’ tricks and manipulation in statements. While one political party is termed as pro-rich, the other is termed to be pro-poor or some other party as the appeaser of the minorities. So basically is there any all in one party which looks at all dimensions with equal treatment? The answer is a blatant no. I think this would be asking for too much. Moreover, the subjects spoken about during a campaign is extremely unworthy. Will someone go to a campaign to hear what the particular party has already spoken about it a million times? We cannot just attend a campaign to hear someone just blowing their trumpets and criticising other parties. What one wants to hear is how and what they will do if it comes to power. This is the key element which every citizen deserves to know.

I think we are tired of the endless drama that goes on the stage. The garland sessions which basically look like a session of self-appreciation and a never-ending list of their so-called achievements which may or may not be relevant for the crowd. The speeches would start with an implied statement of “we are the best” and ending with an implied statement of “if you want anything good to happen then we are the only choice. Every other party is undeserving. Their speeches would be full of ridicule for their competitors and how they are the only party with a bag full of achievements to their kitty. Why can’t they be honest about areas where they have failed or where they will not be able to meet the expectations? Why do they always need to paint a rosy picture as if it is possible to contain all problems for a country as large as India with one magic wand of these so-called masters of the grievance redressal?

We are at a stage where we have forgiven a lot of their misdeeds and yet instead of owing up the issues with genuine concern, the speeches are full of the blame game. Each party presents themselves as pristine as the holy Ganga( which by the way is being tarnished too) and the other political parties as criminals and vice versa. 

Who wants to listen to all this?

In my view, the best way to attract the common people would be to have open debates among political parties across the nation rather than these horribly expensive campaigns which lead to brainwashing and confusion among the voters. Each state, municipality, panchayat should have open debates among the local contenders so that the relevant local issues can be discussed and debated upon. The campaigns should then be carried out on a very small scale localised way so that the target audience can make sense of what the contender is talking about. Basically, if a farmer is attending a rally he would like to hear about the development plans in the agriculture sector and not about a space mission.

After the election results, the analysis of why a party won or lost can be discussed for several days together but the mammoth expenditure on election rallies are hardly discussed. Moreover, how many people actually attended these rallies and out of these how many attended at their own will and how many were persuaded at the behest of money or food are hardly considered to be important.

So, if the majority of the audiences belong to the latter category then why have such huge rallies in the first place? Who are they trying to fool? The people of course who still vote for them and then celebrate the power of voting. It appears like a vicious cycle where people remain at the receiving end while the political parties’ self- appreciation syndrome never gets eradicated.