We Indians are perhaps the most cynical people in the world. We have opinions about every single thing that happen around us and air those opinions with great deal of articulation. Thanks to the proliferation of the Internet and the social media, the voicing of our opinion has become a very easy task. But, if you would pause for a moment and give a thought to this, you will notice that most of us including me, stop at just expressing strong views - either showing solidarity or disseminating disgust - at the events that happen. We all probably know that acting rather than commenting is what is really needed. By saying this, I am not to the least belittling the act of our voicing views without acting. We all have our own limitations. To act on every issue we comment is difficult.
Happiness or frustration usually builds up at a very slow pace. First we simply see/hear and keep quiet. Next we start to think. Then we comment. It is only after this stage that we tend to act. Action is thus the last step which we take recourse to. Some act soon, others slowly, which of course depends on the nature of an individual and also his dearness to the cause.
There's a wide degree of difference with which different causes attract different individuals. Some get attracted to environment whilst others to economy, some to movies whilst others to Mars missions, some to literature whilst others to literacy. But, there's one thing about which we all Indians should think, comment, and if possible, act. That is politics. I know the sight of this word itself would have caused irritation to some of you. It is not you who is to be faulted for this, but the present political class we have in our country. But let me tell you that we cannot love and cherish our democracy and scorn and hate politics because it is politics that ensures the functioning of a democracy, where in we the people are supreme.
The state of our democracy has been steadily moving towards the lowest ebb and some of us have started writing off hope on our country. The way political parties function has created a cloud of pessimism over us which has shadowed our hopes and aspirations. But, the peculiarity of this cloud is that, though this too has a silver lining around it, it becomes visible very rarely. Now is probably only the second time that this lining is being seen. The first was in the 1974, when Shriman Jayaprakash Narayan gave the call for Total Revolution against the then autocratic central government headed by Shrimati Indira Gandhi. The aftermath of this was the declaration of Emergency and in the ensuing elections the Congress had a devastating defeat and then came the first non-Congress government in India under the Janata Party. Until then the people could never even imagine of a non-Congress government coming to power in India because the Congress earlier used to be represented by stalwarts like Gandhiji, Patelji and Jawahrlalji. But then, it was the common man who rose and won.
Similar is the situation now in India. The second time the silver lining of the cloud is being seen. A sight which has brought light and removed the darkness of pessimism. The emergence of the Aam Aadmi Party as an alternative to the conventional political parties has already captured the imagination of many with the Delhi assembly election results. The AAP lays its foundation not on religion, caste, language, etc. like the conventional political parties, but on truth, integrity, honesty and Swaraj (self-rule). When the AAP was born from the anti-corruption movement as a political force, it earned only ridicule. Now, after the Delhi election results, political parties and pundits see AAP as a major contender.
This 180 degree change in assessment of the party has come into play only because the people reposed faith in the party and it could win 28 seats in Delhi elections. But for the support and blessings of a large number of people, this would never have happened. The AAP considers itself not as a political party but as a political revolution. And a revolution cannot be restricted to Delhi alone, it needs to spread to all parts of the country so as to spread the message of Swaraj.
Friends, the opportunity has come right in front of your door step. To shut the door will make you regret. I would from the deepest point of my heart request you to be a part of this political revolution. To all who hate politics, I will remind you again, this is not the usual politics you have seen or heard of. Have you heard of a political party that makes public, that too on its website, every Rupee it receives? Have you heard of a political party that stopped accepting donations once it achieved the target money it had set for contesting an election? Have you heard of a party that assured to contest elections only using white money and proved it to the people? Have you heard of any party that has a clause in its constitution that it will not allow more than one member from a family to have official posts under the party? This point effectively destroys dynasty politics, which has been a bane to Indian politics. Have you heard of a political party that promises that once elected to power, their members would not take red beacon cars and government given bungalows? Have you heard of a party which believes in decentralization so much that it prepared election manifestos for every single constituency because it knew that the needs of different constituencies are totally different? Have you heard of a party which does not have a high command culture and thus the members decide who should contest the election and who should not and also where one should contest elections from? Have you heard of a political party which gives the public, even if they are not its members, to have a say in the candidate selection process by means of public hearing? Have you heard of a political party that encourages public to bring to its notice charges of criminal or other cases against the candidates it is going to nominate for elections? Have you heard of a political party that removed its candidate less than a week before the elections upon getting information that there was a case pending against him in the court? This actually happened in the Delhi assembly election. A candidate of AAP who was to contest from the Rajouri Garden constituency in Delhi was withdrawn by the party after they found it to be true that there was a dowry case pending against him in the court. Hence the AAP only contested in 69 of the 70 assembly seats in Delhi. It keeps its assurance given to the public that it will not send wrong persons as representatives of the people to the assembly or Parliament.
I am sure you will not be able to find a party founded and functioning in such principled fashion. This the reason why it is said that the AAP is not just a party but a political revolution. This is the same reason why I want you all to become a part of it and help cleanse India.
I would request you to register yourself as a member of this party.You can find all the details of membership here -http://www.aamaadmiparty.org/join-us
Being a member, however, in no way mean that you should compulsorily work for the party. You can volunteer in many ways possible by updating information about AAP on your FB or Twitter profiles, by going to the AAP office in your locality and helping them in some work if you wish to, you may join our rallies and show support, you may even donate to the party. There's a lot of things that one can do. I myself had seen the way people come out to help. Some come with their cars on a holiday and volunteer to drop other volunteers to their location of work or carry party propaganda material for distribution, some come to cook food in the office, some musicians come with musical instruments and offer to sing to the public spreading the agenda of the party. Some lawyers and auditors come to help. What I mean to say is that any person with an intention to cleanse India of corruption and want to see India as a great nation can be of help in this political revolution.
You can visit the party website or contact me should you need further information.
Time for airing opinions and commenting without acting has come to an end. Looking forward for your message saying that you have become a member of this political revolution.
Jai Hind!
