Sandesh Prabhudesai
11 Feb 1998
First person account by Ramanand Prabhu, 36, Bus Conductor,
Canacona, Goa.
These elections should not have come so early. But more than any
political party, I blame the people for creating such a situation. People do not think,
while voting, which party would give them a stable government. The candidate comes home
with folded hands and we get impressed. Foolish !
I personally feel that only the BJP can give us a stable government. Of
course, Atel Bihari Vajpayee should be made the prime minister. He has been in politics
for so long, knows our problems, and not a selfish man. It’s his dream to be the
prime minister of India. We should fulfil his dream.
But that does not mean I like all the hindutvawadis. Personally
speaking, I did not like few BJP leaders talking about Sonia Gandhi or Shiv Sena leader
Bal Thackeray humiliating her as a foreigner. I always liked the Sena. But now I
don’t like them. Sonia is an Indian now. Thackeray’s statement will help the
Congress, whom people would vote now as a reaction to Thackeray’s statement.
But Sonia should not have entered politics. People want Sonia, but not
those same corrupt Congressmen to rule us. Even if she becomes the prime minister, she
would be again surrounded by all those corrupt party leaders who have finished our
country. How, in such a situation, can she give us stable and clean government ?
I feel like laughing when I see veteran leaders like Sitaram Kesri and
Sharad Pawar run behind Sonia and Priyanka, hailing them as leaders. Are they so immature
? Then we don’t want such people to rule us. They are simply taking advantage of gharaneshahi
(family dynasty), to come in power. Such people can prove dangerous for our country.
Otherwise, see the way they withdrew support to the United Front
government, not once but twice. Isn’t it childish ? The Congress would have been
respected by all if they had continued their support for five long years. Even I would
have voted for the Congress. But they got frightened that the UF will get strong and they
would become weak by that time. Now, people don’t trust them.
I am equally unhappy with the United Front. There is no unity among
them. These are several groups of parties, none of which has a majority MPs with them.
Strongest among them is the Janata Dal. Such a front of 10 small groups can’t provide
a strong and stable government.
Instead, I would have preferred the Congress heading the coalition
government, with all these small groups supporting them, from inside or outside. Because
even if a small group withdraws support to the government, they cannot topple the
government. It remains stable.
I want a government, which is headed by a party having majority MPs
with it, while the small groups support that party. I don’t mind even if it is not
the BJP-led government. But no majority party should support a group of parties running
the government, from outside.
By the way, please also tell these political parties and politicians
not to tell us who is bad. We know that. You tell us your programme and what positive
steps you intend to take to develop the society. We will decide who is good and who is
bad. Once we elect good people, let them finish the corrupt people. What is the use of
shouting now ?
As told to Sandesh Prabhudesai.
