“If you keep away from social
media and not hark to their pestering bullhorns, life will be saner and more believable.” I was restored to my
normal self by a random tweet perused during my own heightened sense of activity
in this pro or anti party stance euphoria so prevalent in the country nowadays,
especially during General Elections 2019. I followed the diktat, and
immediately started feeling better. Over time, I was also extricated of the thoughts
which not only convince you of their being the only viable, elevated and
correct ideas for the country, but also want you to bring into submission
others present around to accepting them as the almighty truth; the whole
process not being more than just a satiation of one’s ego. If a precept constantly
buffets you, it ingrains your soul and barnacles your thoughts. Over time, it can
also lead you to believe sun rising from the west and sun revolving around the earth,
even if you have known the opposite throughout your life.
Supporting
any party or ideology is one’s personal choice, and it is not measurable with
any rhyme or reason. If a particular rationality is to dictate one’s
preference, then there would be no need for universal personal suffrage. Each
person selects his candidate based on elements defining his identity – region,
religion, caste, job, lifestyle, thoughts et
al , and none can or should dare deprecate his choice. This was the basic
idea why even the poor and illiterate persons’ votes were given equal weightage to those of the affluent
and intelligentsia. So, why this squabble of influencing others ideas on mass media
– news sites, whatsapp groups, TV news etc.
For
me, any political party or government is not without its virtues or without any
blemishes. Also my profession demands neutrality which I intend to follow to
the hilt. There will be personal choice nonetheless, which will however be
reflected in the ballot box only. Amidst
all this, I will try to respect others ideas and beliefs about any political
party or government. If ever we need an apt maxim to follow in this time, then it is this attributed to Voltaire – “I may not agree with what you say, but I shall defend to death
your right to say it”.
