Vote

What is in a vote?

Those of us who vote during elections perhaps do not reflect so much on this ultimate right of an Indian citizen. Majority of us Indians are gullible, influenced easily by propaganda, and the rest of us are copycats. The elites, who actually hold the key to positiveness and prosperity, hardly bother. It is really heartening to realise the efforts put in to trigger an upsurge and wake people up through the jaagore campaign, etc. but there is still a long way to go.

Yet it contains the aspirations of a better future, the possibility of change, both positive and negative, the possibility of curing, or further aggravating the wounds of the nation. A vote also contains deep sentiments and hope for individual citizens. It can make or break a nation, play with the lives of people. The brainwashing of public minds by politicians, the corruption, misuse of power and all the negativity that has happened all these years did not come out of the blue - in a way it is a side-effect of the Universal Adult Franchise, but is still worth it. We need not be pessimistic about ignorance of rural voters, in many cases, the majority, who vote - they atleast exercise their right.

A single vote is like a drop in the ocean, but we forget that an ocean is itself made up of drops. If fingers are to be pointed, they must be directed to the educated elites who do not wish to dirty their hands, and keep asking, "What is in a vote?"

Please spare cricket

Last ball of the match - six runs to win. After some seriously tense moments and a chat with Kapil Dev, Chetan Sharma runs in to bowl. Millions of hearts on either sides of the border skip a beat. An overpitched delivery is smashed to deep mid-wicket for a six and Pakistan wins the Asia Cup Final. They hardly seem to have relived that joy in recent times.

Cricket has always been a different kind of passion in Pakistan. With least infrastructure and no resources, it is raw skill that makes a cricketer in the troubled nation. Loss, especially to India, pains them. The existence of a military rule, the tough life and a crude and unforgiving mindset has troubled them no end and has prevented progress. Right from the time of partition, it has strived to be among the top cricketing nations and in some ways, has even been one up over India. Like us, they too play cricket on streets. It was this game which gave Pakistan a tiny bit of recognition, but the recent events, lately triggered by the 3/3 attacks, have threatened to remove the Islamic country even from the cricketing map.

The Mumbai attacks last November were an eye-opener - a revelation which confessed to us Pakistan's true nature. The rosy friendship promising to blossom a few years ago ( the 2004 series proving to be false joy) was an illusion. If there was no 26/11 Indian cricketers might have been attacked in Lahore, or worse, killed. If we believe the video clips of the Lahore attacks, terrorists seem to have a free licence. Is the government present there against terrorism at all?

We basked in the legacy left by the Imran Khans, Wasim Akrams and the Javed Miandads, and hope to witness their heirs. As we entertained ourselves with a cracker of a match at Christchurch today, as true cricket lovers we wish terrorism take a beating and atleast cricket - the most beautiful game in the world, is spared.