Faces of Democracy
Democracy !!! The buzz word in today's world politics. Some countries have very successful democracy. Some others are struggling with it. Some others are facing army coups. Some others are starting to introduce it. Some events that took place around the globe in past few months show different faces of democracy.
There were elections in Nigeria, which most of the observers called to be scrapped. The Elections were not conducted in free and fair manner. In some places the elections were delayed by a day as the ballot boxes did not reach even on the election day !!! Expectedly the ruling party managed to win again. Zimbabwe is struggling with Robert Mugabe, who is ruling the country since its independence. Protests by the opposition were banned. Thailand had its another army coup to overthrow its Prime Mintister. Bangladesh's army government planned to remove its two most powerful women from its political scene, which was revoked later.
Another election attracting the World Media is Turkey's Presidential Elections. People came out in millions in Istnabul and Ankara to oppose the Presidential Candidate Mr. Gul who many think has a hidden Islamic Agenda which many turn Turkey into another Islamic nation affecting Turkey's image around the world. People wanted their country to be secular. As of now, Mr. Gul's election has failed in the first and second round and hence withdrawn from the race.
The 2007 French Presidential Election has been the focus of World Media. I was simply bowled over seeing the percentage of polling that is around 85%. I was again shocked to see the polling percentage of 85.5% in the second round of the Presidential Elections, where Nicolas Sarkozy and Segolene Royal fought it out on issues of Employment, Economy. Finally Sarkozy has won the Elections by getting 53% of the votes. I am not able to stop congratulating the French people for the display of Democracy. French people have shown the world that they really care about their country and its future by coming out in huge numbers to vote.
In our country, the 7 phase elections of the Uttar Pradesh State Assembly have been going on for around a month now. The polling percentage has been around just 50%. With multiple parties in the election arena, exit polls have indicated that no single party is going to win a majority resulting in Hung Assembly. Hung Houses seems to have become a norm in our country. Parties forming all sorts of alliances to form governments which are always marred by uncertainty due to fights between them.
Most of the 'Educated' people in our country always blame the politicians for all the problems our country is facing today. But is that fully fair? Arent the politicians elected by the people. Most of the 'Educated' people do not even go and vote in the elections. Many dont even care to include themselves in the voter's list.
Is each one of us doing our duty before we point somebody else? Why doesnt the polling percentage never touch the levels of the French Elections? Are we too lazy to stand in a queue to vote? Arent we patriotic enough about our country? People make a huge hue and cry over Narayana Murthy's National Anthem issue or Madira bedi wearing saree having Indian Flag on it. People have really forgotten the real issues. With large population under poverty in our country, even politicians have forgotten real issues. With Election manifestos containing giving free TVs instead of addressing real issues like Employment, Corruption, Democracy in India has lost its way. People participation is missing in our Democracy as we seem to be following the 'dont care' attitude towards the country. Determination is missing in people when it comes to anything related to the country.
Shouldn't the clearing of this mess start by the people themselves by voting compulsarily in the elections? Elections are the only way people can participate in Democracy.
Even though we call ourselves 'World's largest Democracy', we have a fair election system, our Democracy is much better than Bangladesh's, Nigeria's or Thailand's, Democracy has to go still a long long way (many decades?) to achieve success in our country.
There were elections in Nigeria, which most of the observers called to be scrapped. The Elections were not conducted in free and fair manner. In some places the elections were delayed by a day as the ballot boxes did not reach even on the election day !!! Expectedly the ruling party managed to win again. Zimbabwe is struggling with Robert Mugabe, who is ruling the country since its independence. Protests by the opposition were banned. Thailand had its another army coup to overthrow its Prime Mintister. Bangladesh's army government planned to remove its two most powerful women from its political scene, which was revoked later.
Another election attracting the World Media is Turkey's Presidential Elections. People came out in millions in Istnabul and Ankara to oppose the Presidential Candidate Mr. Gul who many think has a hidden Islamic Agenda which many turn Turkey into another Islamic nation affecting Turkey's image around the world. People wanted their country to be secular. As of now, Mr. Gul's election has failed in the first and second round and hence withdrawn from the race.
The 2007 French Presidential Election has been the focus of World Media. I was simply bowled over seeing the percentage of polling that is around 85%. I was again shocked to see the polling percentage of 85.5% in the second round of the Presidential Elections, where Nicolas Sarkozy and Segolene Royal fought it out on issues of Employment, Economy. Finally Sarkozy has won the Elections by getting 53% of the votes. I am not able to stop congratulating the French people for the display of Democracy. French people have shown the world that they really care about their country and its future by coming out in huge numbers to vote.
In our country, the 7 phase elections of the Uttar Pradesh State Assembly have been going on for around a month now. The polling percentage has been around just 50%. With multiple parties in the election arena, exit polls have indicated that no single party is going to win a majority resulting in Hung Assembly. Hung Houses seems to have become a norm in our country. Parties forming all sorts of alliances to form governments which are always marred by uncertainty due to fights between them.
Most of the 'Educated' people in our country always blame the politicians for all the problems our country is facing today. But is that fully fair? Arent the politicians elected by the people. Most of the 'Educated' people do not even go and vote in the elections. Many dont even care to include themselves in the voter's list.
Is each one of us doing our duty before we point somebody else? Why doesnt the polling percentage never touch the levels of the French Elections? Are we too lazy to stand in a queue to vote? Arent we patriotic enough about our country? People make a huge hue and cry over Narayana Murthy's National Anthem issue or Madira bedi wearing saree having Indian Flag on it. People have really forgotten the real issues. With large population under poverty in our country, even politicians have forgotten real issues. With Election manifestos containing giving free TVs instead of addressing real issues like Employment, Corruption, Democracy in India has lost its way. People participation is missing in our Democracy as we seem to be following the 'dont care' attitude towards the country. Determination is missing in people when it comes to anything related to the country.
Shouldn't the clearing of this mess start by the people themselves by voting compulsarily in the elections? Elections are the only way people can participate in Democracy.
Even though we call ourselves 'World's largest Democracy', we have a fair election system, our Democracy is much better than Bangladesh's, Nigeria's or Thailand's, Democracy has to go still a long long way (many decades?) to achieve success in our country.
posted by Vinay at
8:37 PM
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