Voter Turnout

Elections in India are strange. The one demographic that makes the most noise is the one that votes the least ( 44.73% in Bangalore South, for instance). Disappointing as it is, what with all the talk about voter activism, the apathy is well entrenched. 

The other reason, I believe, for the low turn-out is the difficulty in getting to actually cast your vote. Every eligible voter is assigned to a polling booth and has to apply to be registered as a voter. Moreover, if you have moved in to a location within the last six months, you have no chance of voting at your new address. At least three people I know were not allowed to cast their votes because they had moved to a new city recently.

A possible solution is to allow anyone to vote in any part of the country as long as they have a valid ID and an address proof that proves he/she is an Indian resident. After all, the place one is currently staying in is what matters most. It will allow the swathes of migrant populations an opportunity to cast their votes.

While house-hunting

We met a gregarious lady who was keen to let us feel like we are at home. The bucket of mopey talk quickly overflowed. Before we knew, the conversation proceeded to:

Lady: So, you got married last year?
Us: Ye..
Lady (interrupting): What about children? (grinning like a cheshire cat now)
Us: Err.. not now
Lady: No, no. You should not do all this birth-control and all. If it happens naturally, it should. All these medicines and other ’stuff’, you shouldn’t use.

I, at this time, was desperately wishing I was outside. Both of us (me and the partner) quickly finished the niceties and scooted out. My partner, whispering urgently, ‘cupboard!cupboard’. I nodded my head in vigorous agreement.

PS: Cupboard is the crypt-word to utter when either of us doesn’t like the house we are seeing.

PPS: In all fairness, she was a genuinely nice lady, who just happens to consider everyone family.

In Bruges

Children of Men

Read

 

Image Courtesy:  www.amazon.com

An easy-to-read and entertaining account of India’s history, as titled, after Mahatma Gandhi. Veering his attention more towards the Nehru years, and with not-so-hidden admiration for the first PM, Ram Guha provides fascinating accounts on formation of the states, linguistic divisions and the mammoth exercises that were the elections. What stands out is the threads that Guha ties up across chapters and even, sections of the book. The thorny Kashmir issue, for example, veers between resolution, internal strife and wars under the stewardship of many PMs. Other topics, though not insightful, are interesting to read including the ultra-socialist tilt under Indira Gandhi, hesitant governance under Rajiv and the degeneration of leaders into politicians. Highlights of the latter include the blatant infighting among the JP leadership, post 1977, and the emergence of caste-based votebank farming under the Yadavs. 

All in all, an entertaining read on recent Indian history, literature on which appears seemingly scarce. 

12 Angry Men

Image Courtesy: www.filmreference.com

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