When the deluge of Consumerism has engulfed all of us in its octopus like grip, with our desires and aspiration for a more comfortable life has been increasing manifold, the befuddling paradox of turning a blind eye to the ongoing political degeneration comprehensively defeats our motto of ‘ Dil Mange More’. Thus it is the time for a tectonic paradigmatic shift in the national mindset where youth shall no more remain the peripheral spectators, but will extract their own pound of flesh: Take to politics to shape their own destiny. Hence against this backdrop, Dr Abhishek Singh, a young dynamic youth daring to bite the bullet and pick up the gauntlet to contest the Parliamentary Election from Chhatra in 2024, on the demand of the people, is nothing short of renaissance; an awakening of a Public Consciousness to institutionalise a course correction in the polity.
Vivekanand Jha Ranchi: My acquaintance with great Nani A Palkhivala goes back to my sophomoric days when, if my memory does not fail me, neither do I vouch for an infallibility of my memory, Mr Ramesh, a senior friend from my locality, had, one fine morning, suddenly broached the unconventional topic, for intellectual insinuations, far less discussions,
was never our USP: ‘ Nani A Palkhivala is coming to address the denizens of Calcutta in Netaji Indoor Stadium, the pass for the same is available in the Statesman’s office’. Barely had Mr Ramesh concluded, I, even though was not acquainted with the great Constitutional jurist, yet prudently decided to keep mum, lest my expression of ignorance woulf subject me to further ridicule. However, in my mind I began my quest to know who this man was, about whom Mr Ramesh had spoken in such glowing terms. I too, like a robot, uncomprehending the gravity of intellectual showcasing by India’s greatest intellectual of that time and era, went to The Statesman’s office to procure the pass for his upcoming budgetary speech. When the great jurist spoke, I drastically failed to understand much of the speech he had delivered, other than his famous exhortation that, given the impoverished quality of legislation, it was highly desirable that more and more educated people should join politics so that the value could be added to the quality of legislation’. Even to a precocious mind, what the great Constitutional jurist said, continued to reverberate in my mental space for a long time to come. A question more often than not, would bombard my mental space: Why the educated people remain aloof from joining politics? Why the politics, as great Winston Churchill said, ‘ remains the last recourse of the scoundrels?’ Gradually, as I matured, and subsequently took to writing and public speaking, the widening gap of knowledge and erudition between the ones who become our leaders and those who are averse to politics, became increasingly ostensible to me. Yet, it remained an enigma to me: Why the genuinely intellectuals do not take recourse to popitics, and even if they do, they languish in Rajya Sabha, for it has, over time period, has come to be a compensatory mechanism to reward those who can seldom triumph at the hustings. But then, the defeat of Arun Jatley, one of the finest bilingual communicators in decades, from Punjab in 2014, was an eye opener for me, especially even when lamp posts won that election in the name of Narendra Modi, the ignominious decimation of Arun Jaitley came to me as a bolt from blue; a realisation dawned on me that, intellectuality does not go hand in hand with political chicanery; the intellectual mindset or perspective might not be in sync with that of the world view of hoi-polloi. Politics, as Sir Stafford Crips had said, ‘ Is the means of getting money from the rich and vote from the power, while promising to protect each from the other’, remained indelibly etched in my mind for ever till some event changed my outlook.
Politics in India is all- pervading; it is ubiquitous. In fact, in India, nothing moves without politics. Distastefully, whereas in USA, scientists and doctors are far more venerated than a politician; even in Europe the politicians has not infected the lives of common men the way it is here in India. The consequence of the same has been disastrous: The scourge of dynasty has, over a period of time, come to be our Bhagya Vidhata. No political party today, including BJP, is immune from this contagion. However, the dynasties mushrooming in every nook and corner of India, chokes the democratic space for the common men and women of this country. The situation is so deplorable that even a non-matriculate like Tejaswi Yadav is destined to be the Bihar’s next chief minister. And all this because he is the son of Laloo Yadav, the man who became popular, not for bringing glory to the people, but for the Fodder scam which rocked Bihar and the nation in the past decades. The situation is so menacing that members from the same family all booties are amicably distributed: how Tejaswi Yadav is the MLA, his brother Tej Pratap is also an MLA. His sister Misa Bharti, who lost Lok Sabha, is ensconced so comfortably in Rajya Sabha, where then is the scope for the common men and women? It is the same story in West Bengal: Where Mamata Banerjee is the chief minister, her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee is the chief minister in waiting. In fact, this same story is duplicated across the length and breadth of India with aplomb, while the common men and women are the cheerleaders. How long the people who are kings of a democracy, continue to be the silent spectators to this ongoing political circus jamboree? When will the common men and women chorus : ‘ Dil Mange More’. It is the time to call the bluff of politicians and select their own representatives. Significantly, if the people decide about their own candidate, their overall importance in a democracy shall increase hundredfold. It is certainly the time for change; the people to decide who they want to lead, not to fall prey to political shenanigans already entrenched in the polity, ever since independence.
Significantly, in this twenty first century, if India which is vaunting to don the role of Vishwa Guru, continues to be steeped in feudalistic mindset; trapped in the diabolical practices of the worst form of obscurantism, the nation’s rise will definitively be hobbled. Worse still, the nation torn by the dichotomous religious polarisation where meritocracy ends up as a casualty to caste and religious permutation and combination, the society exhibits a vacuity of its charcter; the worthless people begin calling shots and those competent for decision making are banished. This is where the society is unequivocally hurtling towards which, if it is not overturned, its slide cannot be arrested. Moreover, the ceaseless cacophony brought about by the Islamic fanaticism brought about by their notorious aspiration to convert the Punya Bhoomie of Bharatvarsha into an Islamic nation, is another daunting challenge which needed to be nipped in bud on a war footing. The saner elements of Hindus and Muslims should meet for sorting out all issues, for the raison d’etre and summum bonum of Bharatvarsha can never ever be upended. Hindus legendary tolerance has its own limits, it has already come thus far, it can go no further. This message in black and white should be communicated to one and all. Sanatan Dharma is eternal and therefore no earthly power whatsoever can dare to lend a finitude to it. This new age warrants an appeasement for none while equality for one and all. After all, if meritocracy is punctured, as it purportedly appears to be so, can we ever think of having another Dr Kalam?
India today is negotiating with humongous crises from all sides, while the General election of 2024 is beckoning all of us towards itself. How far we are prepared for the same, is the moot question which hitherto appears a conundrum to us. Kashmir continues to boil despite the historic initiative to abrogate the Article 370 of Indian Constitution. Hindus of Kashmir continues to cry for justice. Hence against this backdrop, a young dynamic leader, Dr Abhishek Singh, a very successful doctor with his team in Ranchi, is going ahead with his long nurtured dream to bring a turnaround in the state of affairs of the common men and women of Chhatra Constituency in Jharkhand. The state of Jharkhand which, despite its bifurcation from the state of Bihar in the year 2,000, has made no tangible progress. The state which is steeped neck deep in corruption, appears to have no respite from the gullible politicians who govern this state. It is, therefore, the need of the time that a talented doctor like Abhishek Singh, with his team of professionals, who has already been holding weekly medical camps in Latehar and other areas of Chhatra, joins politics for ushering in a new hope for the benighted people of Jharkhand. Significantly, it is on the groundswell of support sweeping for Dr Abhishek Singh in Chhatra and different parts of Jharkhand, he, bowing to the wish of the people of Chhatra, has decided to represent their aspirations in the upcoming General Election of 2024. The begining of an eventful journey is all set to begin from the Chhatra Constituency of Jharkhand which has a national implication: an exhortation to youth community to come and join politics; let us not leave out destiny in the hands of our discredited politicians, it is us young people who will henceforth shape our own destiny. With this clarion call, Dr Abhishek Singh and his team comprising of such brimming youth power like Dr Sankesh, Mr Amit, Dr Rohit Singh, Dr Vikash, Mr Rajesh Sharma and others who are moving ahead on their avowed objective to bring a national transformation. Thus the Mission 2024 is not their individual mission, or mission only for Chhatra, but for Jharkhand and the nation.
Vivekanand Jha is an author of The Doctor Who Dares to Bite The Bullet, based on the dynamic vision of the youth leader Dr Abhishek Singh, a man who will contest the Parliamentary seat from Chhatra, Jharkhand.
He is an author, Academician and a Public Intellectual.
