Non-issues - Democracy, election and issues during election

Born in a democratic country and now living another one I have seen and observed many elections. However, lately I realized that most elections are contested based on issues which may not have any direct impact on people who will vote.

I won't go too far back in the history, I will rather take some example from recent elections held in big  democracies in the world such as US, Canada and India. Of Couse I will have more insight about Indian system as I was born and raised there, but lately I got a glimpse of Canadian and US political setup after moving here few years back.

One might think the political campaign will be different between poor country such as India and rich countries such as US and Canada. Surprisingly few things were common,

Elections are contested on non-issues:

Non-issue does not mean the issue has no value at all, but rather it does not directly impact daily livelihood of common country people nor it may affect in long term.  However, these issues could trigger emotional response in such a way that voter will get blinded by it and forget everything else. In India touching their religious, waiving off loans work, and in US/Canada issues are tax, Islamophobia etc

US/Canada: Climate change:

Wait before you come to conclusion, by climate change I meant to address lobby against oil lobby. Most voters do not understand climate change. They often link it directly it with oil, not knowing that farming produces even more greenhouse gas (Methane, produced by cattle and marsh fields, has 20 times more greenhouse effect than C02). Interlinking directly oil with climate change may not be 100% correct.

Moreover, Question is not about oil or no-oil, question is people who are serious about this cause are not even willing to give up the luxury of Car (yes Car is a luxury that most people across the world, other than US/Canada can’t afford) and cheap gas heaters. If you really want the change, then first give it up altogether the industry will force to look for alternative fuel source. Buy electric car and do not use anything that has oil money.

Weakness of Voter: Most voters do not understand climate change. They often link it directly it with oil, not knowing that farming produces even more greenhouse gas (Methane, produced by cattle and marsh fields, has 20 times more greenhouse effect than C02)

I met many "cool" people in Canada who are anti-oil, who want Canadian tar-sand oil industry to stop, however, they won’t refuse the social service money that they can get from Govt, (which has oil money). Not to mention that, nobody would switch off their heater during winter.

India: Secularism:

Many people would agree that secularism is a non-issue in Indian politics, however, it could dramatically polarize the vote divide across the demography. In recent Bihar state assembly poll a futile issue like Cow slaughter has taken to center stage to polarize the votes. Some might blame BJP for instigating the subject, however, other parties didn't stop milking the cash to get Muslim support (who appear to vote in herd rather than Individual).

Weakness of Voter: Believe that protecting their illusionary believes and religion is more important than having a better life.

Canada: Cannabis

There is a sizable internet user community who have long want to de-criminalize or legalize the cannabis usage. This is not about whether it should be legalize in Canada or not, the question is how politicians across the board were able use it as dead-horse to deviate from the real issues such as economy, tax and jobs. On one hand Conservatives were able to grab conservative votes on this issue, Liberals and NDP have tried to milk the issue as such they could to launch attack on Stephan Harper.

At the end, if a pot lover wants to legalize he/she won’t consider other options but think only to get rid of Stephan Harper from power, rather than questioning other policies of Liberal and NDP, likewise if someone wants to keep the cannabis law intact, they will vote Mr. Harper without questioning what he did in past 10 years and what he wants to do for next 4 years.

Weakness of Voter: They can’t stop smoking it.

Canada: Hijab

If someone look into statistics, a very few women wear complete face cover hijab. Now here is the twist, Mr. Harper passed a law which says you can’t cover your face during citizenship ceremony. Not surprisingly debate took off on a different level, which Mr. Harper wanted, that government does not anyone to wear hijab. If someone has stayed enough in Canada they would know that, most white Canadian (born in Canada) do not know what Hijab is, they consider even head-scarf as hijab. This limited understanding about Hijab, takes the discussion to a next level of freedom of rights. So it helps to polarize the vote up-to some extent. So if Mr. Harper can keep his conservative vote bank intact and let NDP and Liberals fight off for “open minded” people vote, Mr. Harper may have a chance in this election despite being in power for almost 10 years.

Weakness of Voter: Most voter do not understand Hijab or Islam at all.

US/Canada: Tax

Why I am saying Tax is non-issue, because whoever is in government can’t do much with taxes. They need money to run the government. What all they can do is, each year promise I will lower the tax and wait it out for next 4 years and promise it again. I love this infinite cycle. Example: Hilary Clinton is campaigning for lower tax and levying high tax for 1%. If someone understand even 1% of political science she does not want top 1% tax, what she wants is vote of those 99% people who envy those 1% people and will always despise them. If she could infuriate those 99% then she has the presidency in her name.

Canadian style is giving away free money such as Universal child care, parent support etc. Most promise by NDP to giving away these kind free money. The fight is still on, who will give more money to people, now who does not want extra money, votes will vote to the highest payer, notwithstanding other policies of the party.

Weakness of Voter: Top 1% people are running the government, so someone employed by them, politicians, can’t make laws to make them poor.

Canada: Job

Job is real issue but this is played as a non-issue, example: I heard one of the campaign ad by Liberals that they plan to create deficit by investing in public transport and infrastructure, but they fail to explain how will be create overall economic ripple effect to create jobs across the board other than creating some construction jobs.

Weakness of Voter: Socialist style of job creation is not sustainable, if it were then USSR would not have fallen, nor China would have turned to capitalism to create job.

India and Islam

--Not yet complete--

Preface: 

When it comes to discussion on religion India has incomparable vibrant history.
This article will give a glimpse of totally different side of relation between Islam and India. I would investigate influence of Islam as cultural wave, which has been forgotten in some or other way.

In international panorama, Islam is often understood as a religious rather than a social movement that spread across middle east and changed the world politics and life forever mostly in eastern Europe, Arabic peninsula and most importantly In India. Because Islamic kingdoms never had great navel powers so they had no influence in America, Australia.

About me:

Before writing anything about a community that I don't directly belong, let me tell you my prejudice. I was born in a Hindu Bramhin Family who were once forced to flee eastern Pakistan owing to Muslim league sponsored anti-Hindu riots and settled in ancient and vibrant city of Varanasi. Once affluent back in east-Bengal started from zero at Varanasi. Moreover, much of my adolescent I didn't have many Muslim friends. My point of view for the community changed dramatically after I had some very good Muslim friends and my travel to middle east. I got the opportunity to meet Muslims from different part of world especially from Pakistan and Bangladesh and online investigation helped me to understand better about the community and that too in Indian context.

How all it started

The very first wave:

Many think that Islam came to India from Central Asian invaders such as Mehmood of Gazni or Babar, and this is the biggest myth. Islam came to India long before even when ancestors of these invaders' were to embrace Islam. It came very much after first Islamic kingdom was established by Prophet Mohammad in Arab peninsula. The waves of Islam came to India more as a cultural and spiritual force rather than a military force by Arabs and it was welcomed everywhere. Indian Hindu kings were known of their experimentation and admiration to new faiths. So mosques were built and some cultural fusion, however, penetration was limited. Those days Islam was never seen as threat nor to be feared rather to be welcomed.

The second wave:

When Islam was limited to Arab it was never a big threat to Indian kingdoms, however, it was when the central Asian tribes who had been fighting with each other for centuries got united under Islam and contemporary Indian kingdoms were getting weaker at northwest frontier. United and full of energy under new faith.These central Asian tribes treated Indian very much the same way the way they were treated; that was force conversion.

Unlike Central Asian we already had 4000 year old continued civilization with unique and enriched culture. And this time, Islam didn't came as cultural wave that to be welcomed it was now a military power hence to be fought and feared. Unlike Central Asians who were thankful of Islam that it gave them an unique identify and gave them unity, Indians were never going to be thankful for that rather will be anguished.

The unique way Arabs found to get loyalty of Central Asian tribes and popularity in the region was to convert all war prisoners to Islam. When same technique were applied else where in the world it did indeed bring some loyalty but at cost of popularity and seed of Islamophobia was planted. Things got more and more complicated as more and more ethnic groups included in Islamic system not only Islam changed them but they did change it too. So although all may share the same  faith but their temperament and practice may vary dramatically. New system started to evolve, Qalif's claimed themselves as guardian of Islam same way the way Church and Bramhin's claimed that they are the guardian of their respective faiths.

How India and Islam both enriched culturally: 

Many may say that we got plundered by Islamic invaders for centuries and they were the responsible for most of our tyranny during medieval period and how their mass conversion over centuries led to many irreversible demographic changes that not only divided India as a cultural union but also destroyed thousands of years of cultural heritage, well part of that is true and we are to blame for that not them.

While India got plundered and sabotaged under Islamic rule, it also got enriched. Its confluence brought a new awakening. It brought a much need variety that Indian art need at that time. A unique version of cultural Islam flourished that was much richer than what even Arabs would have imagined. All north Indian modern languages evolved during that era including Arabic scripts such as Sindhi, Urdu and many more.

It won't be wrong to say that Indian Islam is unique in it's own way much vibrant, flourished, colorful and mystical than others. Indian Muslims who lived all their life in India may not understand this contrast. The Indian Islam is a amazing fusion of Hindus (Idol worship ideology with pluralism) and the Islam . India has more Sufi Baba's, Pir Baba's, Dardah's and various forms of tradition still alive and flourishing than the whole world all together.

A new form of spirituality evolved called Sufism, which is quite similar to Bhakti Movement, that transformed the north Indian classical music for ever. If Islam had never came to India, Sufism would have never nourished. The great Sufi singer Amir Khusro was the founder for North Indian classical music. Such movement led to development of one of most poetic languages that India has ever had such as Aawadi, Urdu. Most of the Bandish's were written and sung in Awadhi, Bhraj and Bhojpuri.

Political Significance:



Please leave comments.

The illusion of freedom/Human farm

Lot of places when I see articles and discussions regarding various rights and freedom. Democracy, freedom these topics has been boggling my mind since I was child. I really never bothered about what they are and what these really matters to my everyday life. Later I grew up I learned that democracy is a freedom. If your country is democratic that means you are living in freedom. However, when I started learning more and more I realized that freedom is very conditional and demanding. My forefathers have written some rules of freedom? I though how come someone whom I does not know could write my freedom rules?

Not free to dream : The dream pattern

Developed world: Have a big house at sea front, marry the sweetest heart, Roam the world, serve the under privileged. They forget that while pursing all their dreams they are eventually feeding the last dream , how? ensuring that the under privileged remain there to seek help by having extravaganza life all their youth.

Funeral got easy : Reverse Mortgage

It was a Friday evening, the only few days in a week that average working class people get excuse to party hard. Night full of Booz and lots of opportunity to have one night stand for the single ones who are looking out for a crazy night. No one seems to miss this great opportunity of having a crazy night and lots of crazy crowd. Being tempted to look across the environment my eye caught a pinkish add written in a very stylish way "funeral got easy"! First I thought it must be some funny comment to attract public attention. However, when I read the complete billboard realized that the advertisement was very much talking real business and I guess only I was surprise to see such ad. others were just cool. So the company was selling funeral products! I know in eastern part of the world this may sound suprising, however, in western hemisphere this is pretty much reality and I guess booming business as very much the same way when child products were really in demand when baby boomers were born and now as they are getting old may be these kind of business will boom for sometime.
These funeral products ensures that after you are dead your funeral cost won't  be burden on your family members. Well that may sound very practical, however at the same time it shows either the family values have changed dramatically or may be I find it strange owing to my Indian background. Surprisingly this trend may not be too far for India too as recent national survey data shows that more than 60% of population live in nucleus family rather than joint family. This may come as a shocking news to most Indian parents but for some it may be an business opportunity. His trend may be so quick in all across India, but big cities such as Mumbai and Delhi may embrace it quite soon may be in next 15 years or so. One thin to notice what 800 years of Mughal rule and 200 years of British Raj could not do, only 20 years of capitalism could make it possible.
This kind of trend is society shows two things one fast and pragmatic as the financial uncertainity is looming and on otherhand  a dramatic shift in social values that how important do we consider the one who has less time to spend with us. Well we often give less importance to people with whom we know that we will spend less time weather it's a travel companion or some tenant. But the problem comes when we start applying the same rule to someone who is deeply attached to you. Such situations where you realize that you may end up being burden on your love ones every single day of remaining life does not remain easy.

Standard of Living and Ecological balance

Its summer again! and the mercury is rising beyond imagination. Obviously people are compelled to buy coolers and AC and perhaps other luxurious items those are quite symbol of well being and so called having a good 'Standard of living'. Now days people, specially middle class, are much curious about maintaining/showing their 'standard of living' without understanding meaning of it. However, a good standard of life needs to be redefined for every country and civilization. We can't use the western definition of good life for India, though, we can always borrow the phrase and some aspects.

Some people are advocating going back to ancient life style that will help to check the carbon foot print, however, that itself is not easy as our Indian society is transiting in between ancient and western. Moving either way seems very difficult. A few ecologically aware people are bit perplexed, where to go? and what to inculcate to their next generation, which itself is confused than ever.

The illusion of Indian Culture

Lets start with bugs in our own so called traditions before jumping on the westerners. For eg, celebrating any festival we consider a part of our tradition. However, putting loud speakers everywhere, burning megawatts of energy in playing music to dance and have booze party at night could not be justified on traditional ground. If these are taken into account, the way Ganpati and Durga-puja are celebrated they should not be considered a cultural event, perhaps sometimes they look like some political event. There is nothing wrong in celebrating or partying, however, partying on name of cultural event is merely abuse of those events. The funniest part of this is, the organizers of these co called cultural events are themselves hardly aware of meaning of the event. Most of the festive gags are party cadre. The conditional devotion for god himself has a collusion between the Bhaktas and the God. Bhakta says God I will give you a grand puja, please help me wining this election or passing the exam etc.

Secondly when it comes to oraganized Bhakti our so called Monks, Baba, and NGO play critical role. Thanks to most of the Babas and NGOs those are merely instrument of converting black money into white.

The illusion of supporting a cause

Few days back there were some big events called Mumbai Merathon, people participated to support some or other cause. But while participating the event I could only see a single cause ie 'Standard Charterter'. Everywhere banners of sponsors and organizers with loud music. I could see everything else then that so called 'cause'. Even most of the people who are running themselves do not know about the 'cause'. Similarly Mumbai cyclothon had similar arrangements. Our deputy chief minister came and gave some good words, however, he forgot to mention about his own carbon foot print. A convoy of vehicles always around him, freeing KGs of CO2 and many more luxury habits which are trademark of a politician. More cause more pollution and more advertizing. Sometimes I feel the capitalism has engulfed our country in a ugly way. The success story of western capitalism cant be applied to our case.

Probable solutions

Don't be copy cat. What had worked in west need not work in the east. The way its working in China is a completely different story. They are a unique communist-capital model. Where the captials is in tight control of gov. Whereas in India its mix economy and capital in flow is talking helping very few. Although, some metro cities have got better concrete jungle but 80% population still does not have toilet at home. So just pumping capital may not work alone unless there is a strong willingness from common people to spread the wealth.

Blaming polit-beauro may be futile unless we take something in our hand after they are part of us only. Spending atleast 1 week in a year to educate the vulnerable people in our society. They may be from your nearby slum or some rural place. Education and inculcating responsibilty among them because they are the decision maker in every poll. Making them aware of everything will weaken the selfish Netas.

Urbanization – A boon or curse

Malls Malls everywhere not a single greenery around. India has certainly became a mall maniac country. Attractive stores, polished staff and AC with music, everything is there for a wonderful shopping experience. However, the real price that we are paying for this pleasure is yet to be understood. Megawatts of power, noise and much more, but the scintillation of Mall over overshadow those all. I'm not against malls, however, the way we have copied it from the west is not attractive at all.
                   Why do we need to copy everything, perhaps we could have developed our own mall culture in an Indian way. At worse, notwithstanding the western concept, we can always modulate it with the very Indian style. The way we copied constitutions from across the world, though we finally messed up. The madness of booking quick profits by copying or buying ideas or technologies from others and implementing the concept without learning the long term impact will cost the countrymen but not the politicians. We could rather have worked innovating our own idea.

We are creating a satellite colony of west where for every new idea we are waiting from our masters, waiting to buy the very new idea and pay the patent money lifelong and of course if something goes wrong we can always blame them. Whether it's some polluting automobile or an atom energy.The way Rahul Bajaj blamed best for not sharing the green technologies when he was asked to find a remedy for over growing polution because of his 3 wheeler auto rikshaws ,same way generations later we will blame west if some catastrophy happens due to recent installations of Nuke energy plants. The resident cabinate has filled up their swiss account from this deal and they will never sattle in the nearby cities of the plants.

Now when it comes to learning, we are not learning from their mistakes. We are doing the same mistake what they have done centuries ago, creating environmental disaster in madness of capitalism. We can't afford jettison our responsibilities to the future generation on the ground of blame game. Perhaps, most industrialist do not even bother about their responsibilities for the future generations, the only thing matters quick profit and market capitalization. But they must remind themselves that the money they are harvesting for their sons won't save them from natural calamity.

More demand, more supply, more spending that does not work in a community based society like Asia with huge population. In fact capitalism is instrumental in pumping more wealth at top of the social pyramid and making the bottom class more dependent on the mercy of top notch, hence making it more vulnerable economic catastrophe.
                               An illusion created by the government that this madness will take India to next level. Perhaps, government is not keen to explain what is the next level? The next level could be transforming the whole Indian community into a great labor and consumer market, making everybody in the society economically vulnerable. Take an example of Reality boom and how it will turn out to be a curse for the villagers. Tempted by the reality boom the villagers are prone to sell off their lands for some lump sum amount of money which would hardly last a few springs, its like he killed the hen which was giving gold eggs and was a perennial source of income though less. Initially it will be really good in terms of statistics for the villager, builder,growth rate and of course the politicians and bureaucrats who were broking the deal. It will further boost the industrial growth rate figures when the builder will sale flats/shops/mall on that land at 400 times higher price and will transform the whole area. Having a test of urbanization the villagers will start spending on commodity products and once again will increase the key growth rates. Now, the service class will take loans from the bank to fund the real estates, hence again contributing growth to Banking sector, in term the whole GDP will raise. Congratulations! The government policy have brought prosperity to the whole Indian community, but at what price? Lets visualize it.
                           Soon the money will be gone, thanks to good spending habits, and now the villager community which has been quite independent on its own as far as food and other daily needs were concerned, now completely dependent on the market, hence adding new consumers to global food market. Once again, demands will be up , however, the food supply will remain the same or less indeed; the price will inflate. Its a kind of chain reaction. When a city expands the key growth figures goes up at the same time, many families, communities loose their economical independence and the world looses vital farm lands. Perhaps, in a similar fashions the urbanization is eating up all our jungles as well. The government let illegal encroachments materialized, thanks to businessman Politicians and bureaucrats, hence destroying the ecological flora and fauna forever.

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Women's bill : Another unfortunate chapter to Indian Constitution

Everywhere in media there seems to be a good feeling that finally after 14 years, the women's reservation bill got passed. The women activists are so happy that finally their efforts got a government stamp and they believe now for women's everything will change the way it has changed for SC/ST/OBC over more than 50 years of reservation, which I doubt. However nothing dramatically has changed for lower castes because of reservations, whatever has changed its due to various socioeconomic initiatives by various government, corporates and NGOs.

Lest look a bit closer to the Bill, the reason bill got approved on upper house has different meanings to general public and politicians! The bill will be abused like anything to strengthen nepotism, already prevalent in Indian politics, and make the political families more and more powerful as more and more family members , now of course womens, will join the feast. So, the joy and cheer should be amongst the elite political families who are already in lower/upper house rather than a common women in our or your houses. I am wondering how media is praising this bill without showing the ill effect of the bill? not to forgot, political families owns hug stakes in media companies so I guess their pens can't write anything against.

Being a clairvoyant Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru Ji had protested against any form of community quota in the constitution as it will harm the very fundamentals of constitution. The SC/ST/OBC quota has never been critically reviewed by experts, instead it has only been abused by the government as a poll tool. It was suppose to get reviewed periodically to assess its effect and to make appropriate amendments, the castes who have got a better deal with the quota should be removed from the schedule so that the other castes in the same schedule should get a chance, it should not happen that only few castes in the schedule are getting the benefit, which is quite prevalent in current scenario. It must be applied with statistical granularity of each and every caste rather than clubbing them anonymously in a single schedule to satisfy the poll marketing strategies.

Now if we see this women's quota will be instrumental in making the existing political families more and more influential and it will become more and more difficult for new comers to join politics. For example, if the principle constituency of the prominent party leader comes under women quota, then probably his wife/daughter/Mother will contest on his behalf and ,of course, he will contest from some other constituency hence end up eating another seat which could be of a new comer and increasing his stake in the party as well as in Indian politics.

Nevertheless, there is hardly anything we can do except writing these benign blogs, having some discussions and then forgetting everything and get busy with routine work to make our future secure by spending more time in office, getting salary hikes, paying more taxes without knowing the fact that the same money would be billed against expense incurred in foreign trip of our minister's family in ,of course, an official visit.

Jai Hind