The Mixed Mandate

About two hundred persons perished in the rail sabotage yesterday at West Midnapore. Earlier this month, several innocents died in violence at Dantewada. Last month 75 CRPF men succumbed to an attack in the same region. The government admits its inability to do much because of the “mixed mandate”.
One wonders if one would ever have a stronger mandate to take effective action. The government comprises of representatives who win elections on the basis of votes supposedly cast by citizens under their free will. Several people don’t exercise their franchise. Those, who do, may not always act under the so called “free will”. Money power, muscle power, caste considerations, peer pressure, and several other factors influence the “will” of the voters. Candidates spend a fortune and toil hard before elections. If the purpose were only to serve people, it could be achieved more effectively and without bearing so many hardships. The purpose of getting elected is evidently entirely different. The rewards of the office are so attractive, that people try to get elected every time the elections are held.
Under such circumstances, how can elected representatives speak against their own electorate? And why should they allow anyone to take action against their electorate? Doing that would mean bidding a permanent goodbye to their goldmine. So, whether it is a ‘khap’ or a ‘dalit’ or a ‘marathi manus’ or a ‘maoist’ cause, the policy makers of our nation continue to wag their tails, bowing before selfish sectarian interests, and making lame excuses before the rest.
The common man is accused of inertness. It is said that one gets the government one deserves. The reality is different. Common man is so occupied to make both ends meet, arrange education for children, run around doctors, and stand in different queues, that he cannot even dream of contesting an election. All that he dreams of is about leading a peaceful life. Life, that includes happy reunions with relatives and friends. Life that involves getting down peacefully from a bus or a second class train compartment, and hugging the dear ones waiting to receive him.
Unfortunately, all that the dear ones receive today are severed body parts, coffins, and empty promises. But they should not complain. They should understand that the mandate before the government is mixed. And wait for their turn to die in a similar fashion.