Why don’t we have a Right ‘Not’ to Vote?

Date: 22/12/08

Jaago India Jaago – Election ke din, agar aap vote nahi de rahe hai, to so rahe hai.

Or is it the other way around?

Every time the election is around the corner, a big question crosses our mind – Whom shall we vote? Most of us either end up by compromising and voting in the favour of the best amongst the worst or by not voting at all. Those who vote are considered to be good and responsible citizens, while those who don’t vote are “sleeping”.

The voter turnout in India is close to 60%. Had these people refrained from exercising their right to vote, there would have been no MP, MLA or MLC. In other words, a nation without a patron. But thanks to our so called ‘responsible’ citizens, we are forced to be patronized by a bunch of highly manipulative, inefficient and corrupt men who do a little for the benefit of public and take away twice as much from them.

When the elections come, we have a choice. Not the choice of electing the best amongst the worst, but the choice – to vote or not to vote. If we stop voting, then what is the worst that can happen? There won’t be a single politician leading us. So isn’t that good for us?

A rational person should not vote for someone who does not deserve merely because he has no other option. There are people who are capable of doing the job. But the problem with them is that their voices are suppressed by the noise of our major political parties. Our political system is designed in such a way that any individual who is not a part of any major political party will not survive. These individuals do not survive because they lack in self - promotional skills, which the other parties have mastered.

We need to open our eyes and identify the right person before we vote. But if we still can’t find a right person then we should always say no to the elections. If we are satisfied by the quality of leadership that we have today, then it would be better if we all fell asleep instead of waking up.

Bhavin Desai