Elections are just around the corner.. All political parties
are campaigning like there is no tomorrow.. Every advertiser and government
body is asking us to vote.. Because its our fundamental right! I will vote this
time, for sure, not because I should, but because I really want to. And honestly,
I believe I need to.
Not like my one vote is going to change the country, or make
it the most ideal place in the world. But I want a lot of changes and this is the
only way I know that could initiate them.
I am not a very big hearted humanitarian or a Miss World
contestant, I am just an average Bombay girl (yes, we still call it Bombay) who
has a fairly good life. I'm not going to ask for zero corruption, no terrorism,
100% education etc. Obviously I want all that for India!! But these are long
term goals which will need lots of hard work and dedication. As of today, I
have slightly more selfish, self-centered requirements.
I have been lucky because my dad was always willing to get
me what I wanted, but now I don't go to him for every small thing and
truthfully, I can't afford every object I desire. Thus, there are some basic
changes I am praying for, after this national election.
1. Petrol prices
I'm lucky enough to own a personal car in Bombay city. But
it kills me every time I refuel it.
Every 3 months, the amount I pay goes up by a few hundred and I can hear my
wallet cry. Also, not like the cars here give us the best mileage, all thanks
to the ever changing condition of the roads. Which bring me to my next point.
2. Infrastructure
I can't remember a single day, in the last 10 years or more,
that the roads were not dug up. What I have come to like about the entire
infrastructure development routine are the reasons/excuses we are given every single
time. Installing the gas/water line, removing the pot holes, making a new
bridge, construction of the metro and the list can go on. They say they are
doing it for our convenience but it doesn't help anyone when the roads are
blocked for months at an end. The sea link took 10 years to build! The metro is
in the testing phase since more than a year and the new airport is something I
don't even want to talk about. The main junction on the Western Express Highway
is clogged every day because they are making a bridge, but Juhu Circle has
traffic because of potholes!! The roads, the construction, is suppose to
provide us a smoother day to day function but that hardly seems to be the case.
3. Dollar!!
The whole country is talking about this, not because it’s
too expensive for us to travel to other countries, but because it affects our
daily lives. Businesses and profit margins go for a toss, with the ever fluctuating
dollar. And then there are the growing expenses. From vegetables to clothes,
and alcohol to luxury products.
Let me admit one thing. I am a guju. So how much ever
disposable income I have, I love free stuff. All of that goes down with the
dollar going up! Also, if I were to travel, I could buy only 50% of the things
I fall in love with.
4. Corruption
This is an issue that every single Indian faces, on daily
basis. I'm not saying I'm a saint. Obviously I have given a bribe to a traffic
cop, but honestly that is the max I remember doing. There are days when I wish I
was smart enough to do the ‘Jhols’ we read about in the papers. The 2G scam, the Adarsh Society Scam, the CWG Scam, the Indian Coal Mines Scam. I can just keep
going on. What really gets to me is the fact that obviously this money did not
come directly from the India Government Mint or RBI, which means it is our hard
earned money!! We pay taxes so the country can grow, and not to increase
someone’s net worth in the Swiss Bank. When I read about the Food Bill in the
news, I wanted to go on a killing spree. I am all for the poor getting ration
at subsidized costs, but we all know that these subsidiaries never reach the
public.
After all this also, I am not saying that India hasn’t grown
in the last few years. Of course we have!! But this is because of the hard work
of every citizen. The government doesn’t have much to do with this.
So I am not asking anyone to pick a side this election. All
of us should do what we believe will be the best for each one of us. But I personally
am not willing to leave my fate and the fate of my country in the hands of
someone who doesn’t know what he is talking about. The public is very very
smart. Promising Women Empowerment & RTI cannot get votes anymore. The
people today know exactly what they want. I just hope we will find someone who
will help us get there…
