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Politicking

I watched a program on television show and am amazed at the how some of the media houses stated with certainty that Mr. Rahul Gandhi received a drubbing at his visit to Mount Carmel College, Bangalore. From what was said, some students were for and some were against the present government’s initiatives. I do not get how they (the media) perceive that he was booed and was given a thumbs down. Is this some way for television houses to let the Congress know that they are on a constant sticky wicket? Sure, they did not get the numbers in the 2014 elections. The BJP did prove to be victorious – that is a given. What is quite baffling however, is the constant negative publicity that goes around about Mr. Rahul Gandhi. This constant rant of dynasty politics bashing is bordering on the ridiculous. It is time to give it a rest. Why talk about this form of dynasty hand me down’s I wonder, when this form of ‘politics’ occurs across the board. The family business being handed down from generation to generation is a prime example. Here is a poser - how can people perpetuate the rant saying that the country suffered under the leadership of the Congress for decades. How pray did we get our freedom if it wasn’t for the ‘Gandhi’ name along with many other amazing freedom fighters?

Taking potshots at someone in the public eye has become a constant. Under the veil of anonymity people diss public figures. It is when one has the guts to sit across someone with an opposing point of view, do things progress. Not everyone is made out of the same fabric (read opinion) and that is where diversity plays a vital role. Yes? Take the well known actor Mr. Amir Khan who said something that triggered an upset with certain folk. Doesn’t he have a right as a citizen of the country to air his views? The chant of ‘go to Pakistan’ is so boring. Yawn. Time to change the rhetoric.

Let’s go on another tangent here – this constant bashing of our Prime Minister leaves a bitter taste. Okay, some don’t like his style of governing – so be it, everyone is entitled to an opinion. But, this constant bashing repeatedly is pretty darn nasty. Time to give it a rest, already! The refrain of ‘you get what you deserve when you are in the public eye’ is so not cool. Have any of us who tear people’s reputations to shreds wonder about the pain that we are causing the person? Let me state for the record, that I am the most apolitical person – do not believe in being for or against any particular party. What stares us in the face on a daily basis is the nastiness everywhere. Seriously, does it make the news as to where Rahul Gandhi went for a 50-day holiday? Does it matter that XYZ has a large wedding? And so on… By putting, it out there for people to discuss at length and ridiculing the person is dirty politics. Sure, everyone is entitled to an opinion, but when there are serious matters to discuss, aren’t we just digressing? Who cares if our Prime Minister wears swanky suits while he travels abroad? Come on, guys he looks smart – what is the problem? Case of sour grapes? Perhaps people are tired of being nice, that being fashionably nasty has taken over mainstream debates and tea table discussions.

Needless, to say, being fair game when you enter politics is definitely ‘on’, or so we have heard. Does it really matter if Mrs. Sonia Gandhi is of Italian ancestry? She has adapted to the rule of the land and in fact, she speaks Hindi way better than I can ever do. I struggle every day. When an Indian goes abroad and does well, we applaud the person. If s/he enters the political arena and makes a name for her/himself we practically scream – ‘s/he is Indian’ because we preen with happiness which is great. However, when someone from another country marries into a well-known political family and carves a niche for herself in the domain, we bring on the venom. Blah blah blah… Are we so intolerant that we haven’t yet accepted the Gandhi bahu who has embraced our culture and practices with grace?

If you don’t like the methodology of any political party – settle the score with decent debates. It is quite distasteful when participants of any party are shouted down on television shows because they do not share the point of view of the anchor. Another annoying concept is when certain bytes are aired repeatedly just for those TRP’s. Therefore, based on logic because of editing of various video clippings, should the public really believe this? Or should we go with the response by public figures stating that they were misquoted because the footage aired was out of context? Should we, as the audience, take what is aired in front of us with a pinch of salt?



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