I will NOT vote this 21 October…

विनय हर्डीकर म्हणतात - 

१) मी याआधी प्रत्येक निवडणुकीत मतदान केलेलं आहे.

२) बहिष्कार ही सुद्धा ‘राजकीय कृती’च आहे, ती माघार नव्हे.

३) ‘NOTA’ला धार नाही.

४) मी सगळ्याच पक्षांबद्दल बोलतोय, कुठलाच पक्ष त्याला अपवाद नाही. (अपवाद असलाच तर आमचा ‘स्वतंत्र भारत पक्ष’ एवढाच काय तो अपवाद आहे, कारण त्याचा उमेदवारच नाही!) त्यामुळे ‘भाजपची लोकप्रियता तुम्हाला पाहवत नाही’ या आक्षेपाला काहीही अर्थ नाही. 

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Despicable lust for power; shameless defections and equally shameless justifications of the same devoid of any principled content whatsoever; hideous, cheap and populistic style of political campaigns; the almost magical ability of those in power to divert attention of the public from real issues using emotionally explosive rhetoric, and the equally irresponsible response to it by those who had power in the past; allegations-counter allegations; abundance of candidates with criminal histories in all political parties; ... I am thoroughly repulsed, disgusted, and saddened by all this and, as such, have decided not to vote.

My efforts to help make the Indian democracy mature and robust are well known. I am aware that political franchise is both my right and my duty. Still, I have chosen to not exercise this right in the upcoming maharashtra assembly elections. I have used the NOTA option when it became available. However, NOTA is without teeth, and only allows disowning candidates in the constituency one votes in. NOTA does not allow one to express one's concern and disgust for the current political culture.

The growing sense of purposelessness and futility amongst farmers, the growing population of the well educated unemployed, acute economic slowdown refusing to abate by cosmetic measures, lethargic and callous adminstration which is clueless in the face of natural calamities, growing economic disparity, uncontrolled degenerate urbanization, ... None of these and such other issues are ever discussed. Instead, the thoughtless arrogant appeal "give us power and we will solve all your problems" is supplemented with profuse unrealistic promises to woo the electorate. Instead of serious fundamental policy changes designed to end poverty, the public is being encouraged to self-declare themselves as poor 'weaker section' with the promise that the government will help; in other words, to accept alms, doles and sops instead of living with productive sweat of brow and be happy.

To change all this, we need to withdraw from all this clamour and pandemonium. Many citizens are as disgusted as I am with the current state of affairs. Let us get together, brainstorm, and take a stand. This will enable all to come up with an action plan after the elections.

This is a wake-up call. It is never too late to do the right thing.

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लेखक विनय हर्डीकर पत्रकार, लेखक आणि कार्यकर्ते आहेत.

त्यांचा मोबाईल नं. - ९८९०१ ६६३२७.

vinay.freedom@gmail.com

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‘अक्षरनामा’ला आर्थिक मदत करण्यासाठी क्लिक करा -

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