Wednesday, February 7, 2007

And We Call Ourselves the World's Largest Democracy


Scene I:
(The parking lot in my company. A senior and I are walking towards the office.)
Me: Did you vote?
Senior: No. You voted? Wow! I don't think my name is on the voting list. You see, I shifted from my residence in Kothrud, and my name is still on that list.
Me: So why don't you get it put on the list in your area?
Senior (looking visibly surprised): There's a procedure to do that?? I thought it would happen automatically.

Scene II:
(The living room of my cousin's house.)
Cousin: I see you have voted. I did too... dad made it compulsory for us.
Me: Yea? Who did you vote for?
Cousin: Hmm... This guy called... err... I don't remember his name- my dad told me to vote for him. But hey, that isn't the worst part! I came home this afternoon and found a leaflet saying that the dude is a murderer! Man! I can't believe I voted for a murderer!

Scene III:
(At the gymnasium.)
Gorgeous instructor: Lemme see your finger.
Me: Huh?
Gorgeous instructor: You voted?
Me: Yea.
Gorgeous instructor: Your interested in this kind of stuffs?
Me: Isn't this more like our duty as responsible citizens of the country.
Gorgeous instructor: Yea man! Cool, cool!
(I have a strong feeling that his positive response to my answer had something to do with my being the only twenty-something girl, without a paunch in the gymnasium at that point in time.)

I don't remember the name of the person I voted for either.

The only reason I remembered that the elections were on that day was because we had a party the previous night, and to our dismay it was a dry day. The man at the wine shop told us that it was because of the elections.

I remember my ninth grade physics, but I have no idea what the civics book contained, and I am guessing that I should have used more of what my civics book taught me since then.

People actually died to give us the power to choose our own leaders.

We say the government is sleeping. I guess they are not the only ones.

9 comments:

Kunal said...

Do you know what corporators actually do? What your vote has given some guy the power to do? Because I sure dont...

Renuka said...

@kunal: Of course I do. They attend some inauguration ceremonies, take some bribes, not make good roads, not plan the city, give interviews, attend page-3 parties and go on strikes. I'm not sure if there is more... like I said, I don't remember my civics too well.

teacup said...

hmn...guess wat? I went early morning, around seven, had to be some where else later, and wat I found funny was, everyone was staring at me...why? there actually was a girl who came so early on her own to vote, without her parents forcing her to do, as your cousin was...not only did the policeman stutter but actually asked me, "voting ke liye?" once I got to the voting room, they didn't allow me coz they thought I was a fraud:) I had to show them proof that I was actually 22 years old and eligible to vote...that just proved that none of the young people take the effort to go vote...I know whom I voted for...but am not expecting anything from them...I did my duty...and yeah...if you don't use your vote...someone else will use yours, mite as well vote for the lesser evil...it's a pity that people our age don't bother voting but instead crib about everything possible, with beer cans in hand and think it is somehow cool!:|
(and this must be the longest comment so far:D)

and which gym do you go to?gorgeous instructor did you say?:D

Renuka said...

@yashita: The reason I actually vote is so that I can do the above mentioned activity (beer can in hand and complaining about my country) without guilt!
As for my gym, I go to endurance... Cute instructors who look best doing weights and keeping their mouths shut.

teacup said...

:| @The reason I actually vote is so that I can do the above mentioned activity (beer can in hand and complaining about my country) without guilt!


on second thoughts, I actually vote so that I can act all snobbish and boo people who don't vote:)

as for the Gym thing, you mean the instructors are Punjabi dudes?:)

teacup said...

*at

_dirtboy said...

U really think the guys people vote for, the "representatives of this great nation" and blah blah.. are actually worth the time u spend in voting? Let alone the effort wasted in going all the way to the votin booth and not to mention standin in a queue tht competes with ones at the gateway to hell...


Btw, hopped in from zaphod's.. cheers!

Renuka said...

@_ð!®†ß¤¥ : I am not sure if you have ever voted before, but it certainly isn't as tedious as you describe it. I didn't take more than 5 minutes. In any case, as I mentioned above, I vote not because I believe that those people are worth it, but because I think it's much better than that vote being used illegally by someone else, and also 'cos I want to be free of any guilt when I crib about others not fulfilling their duties.

Anonymous said...

read this:
http://dilbertblog.typepad.com/the_dilbert_blog/2006/11/the_stuff_in_my.html