O – Opposition | #AtoZChallenge

O – Opposition | #AtoZChallenge #BlogchatterA2Z

Indians are the big fans of cinema – in fact, it flows in their veins. The recent blockbuster KGF saw a downtrodden guy from the slums making it to the top. Everybody loved the heroics and the movie became a blockbuster. Nobody talks about his ways to achieve things. That is how the ruling party is setting the current narrative.
Every time you question them about the policies and failures of the government and they come back with the same rhetorical answer, ‘If not Modi then who?’
Have you noticed how during every conversation with any BJP member they begin the dialogue by saying ‘Modiji ke netritva me’ (under the leadership of Modi) suggesting and trying to portray that each and every work has been done by him? So that means all the other ministers in the government are useless because at the end of the day whether its decision like Demonetization, PM is taking it or whether it is the construction of roads or whether the sale of spectrum, everything, and anything are only decided by the supreme commander.
This whole idea that only one individual is superior and not even that ‘idea’ is too dangerous. It is actually equivalent to something that they preach against – not to vote for one family while asking for a vote for one man.
I have no objection to the BJP coming back to power…that’s their democratic right but saying that PM is the only option is illogical. When you vote, you vote for a symbol and not for an individual, if that is going to be a reality then let’s remove the logo or the name of the party and simply write a four-letter word on the EVM. They won’t consider even a performing minister like Gadkari because they have set their narrative in such a way.
Where was this wave before 2013? He was nowhere with respective to the national political scenario but with directions from their Nagpur head office, it changed overnight. I am from UP and the same thing happened here. Everybody here was so convinced who the next CM would be but just before the oath-taking ceremony the name was changed and we now know who the CM is. There are reports that claim that the nameplate of a candidate was even made but with a call from Nagpur the city slept with a name for CM and woke up to an altogether different.
If you observe the political spectrum it has more or less remained the same over the past two decades. If you observe even closer you will find that whichever state had an alternate people have voted for them. Isn’t it ironical, a wave makes you win at national level disappoints you at the state level.
The options are available you just have to look beyond biases. When it comes choosing for a nation we should see the ideology and not one individual. Didn’t the same thing happen in 1974 when the slogan was coined, ‘India is Indira and Indira is India’ and we know what followed in 1975. That was the perfect example that even the supreme leader can go drastically wrong.
When you ask BJP members and ministers they will say that the prime minister gets angry if he is asked questions. To question someone means asking for accountability and that he can go wrong. The narrative that there isn’t any choice or alternative is based on a fallacy that he can’t go wrong or he isn’t vulnerable.
It has also to do with the army of bootlickers that are surrounding him. They hardly give him the correct picture and just to save berths for them to keep on egging him on whatever path he chooses. To claim that he is superior to everyone or he is the most intellectual of all is just their narrative. Saddam became ‘Saddam’ because of the spineless stooges he kept, who always appreciated him in all his actions.
Let’s not go far away, a current politician who is serving a term for his sins brought so much glory for the Indian Railways. Since independence, railways performed the best under him and the only time when it became profitable – he was invited to the most prestigious institutes around the globe to give an insight into his strategies.
What this has done in the current tenure is the lack of accountability. I am yet to see a minister being sacked for their performance. Whichever ministry you pick, the moment they are questioned for their actions they start looking at one individual and then everybody seems to get blinded with the aura he is exuding. Just remember he is no God.
The opposition was never so weak but there are options and if there aren’t then we should create some but if you say that a particular individual is great but their ideology of hate is bad then you are fooling yourself. A person who spent 50 years of his life dedicatedly working for an ideology, how can that person not have the same thought process. It’s all about how you package, brand and market.
I think a lot is in the hands of the media to start a wave and then decide which wave blows in what direction. We have been seeing the character assassination and character rebuilding of so many people over the years with the simple use of media. A once hated superstar, by media, is now a messiah, all thanks to how they portray him.
Since I began with a movie example I will end also with one. Have you seen the movie Shaurya starring Kay Kay Menon and Rahul Bose? If not then watch it. Even if you don’t catch the whole movie just watch the monologue in the end by Menon and you will understand what I am trying to say. It is not necessary that a person who has family involves in corruption and a person who doesn’t have any monetary interest be always right. There are other reasons too and some of them are imbibed in their ideology.
All I can say is the opposition needs to take a cue from Bollywood and we have seen the mightiest fail and fall.
For all those who believe that opposition is weak,
For all those against anarchy,
For all those who believe in democracy,
And
For all those who believe there are alternatives…
It’s not a goodbye,
But it’s a GOOD BYE.
Manas ‘Sameer’ Mukul
This is the 15th post for the #AtoZChallenge #BlogchatterA2Z. My theme in Politics Category is ‘IPL – Indian Parliamentary League’, where I would be covering some relevant issues with the General Elections 2019 through the course of 26 posts.
Read the previous post here: IPL – Indian Parliamentary League
Please do visit tomorrow for the next post with letter ‘P’
I am also taking part in the #AtoZChallenge #BlogchatterA2Z using another theme –‘Dubai – City of Gold‘. If you love travel head over to the Travel Theme and share your feedback.