Vote for Money or Vote for Right
In a democracy, the right to vote is not just a political right, but should be considered to be a fundamental duty. It is a responsibility that has been bestowed upon the citizens, to choose their own government. However, amongst this growing greed to acquire power, the authenticity of voting has been far-fetched. The cash for votes scam, is one such scam that exposes the lacunas that our democracy is marred with. In today’s scenario where money and politics are in close compliance, now to achieve political power, methods of door to door gratification is becoming a norm.
There are various reasons that voters are so easily lured by money. It is easier for the politician when the voter is poor, and it is not difficult to find poor voters in India. The lack of interest and awareness comprises the rich and middle class population. The general knowledge of an average Indian regarding Indian politics is ludicrous. There is barely any efforts taken to change that. The amount political apathy that Indians have for the Indian political system is the sad state of affairs that gets its boost from the lack of political will of the Indian people.
Politics in India is also marred with stigma. It has been accepted by the people that politics a dirty word and all politicians are corrupt. This needs to change. It is not rational to allow the country’s future to be plundered by self-seeking incompetent people who bribe citizens and then become the citizens and then exploit them.
It is this deep rooted corruption that has to be tackled. It’s not just the people in power, it is also the people who bring them to power. The least the people can do is know their candidate to avoid getting influenced. There are several methods that are given to the citizens, the election manifesto or the ‘know my neta’ application. Political education and the inculcation of the spirit of enquiry and rationality prior to elections, holds the potential for a corruption free India, because this is the only way this vicious chain can be broken.
