16th May 2014. The day that will decide the future of India. The most awaited result of the Lok Sabha elections post the emergency, the results of this are as sure as they were in 1977. And like that year, the Congress once again is sure to be shown the door. But unlike that year when we punished a party for inciting communal imbalance, today we will be celebrating the rise of another one that did just that. For some, it is a day to rejoice, for others, to despair. For me, it is a day that I shall pray, pray very hard. Not for a miracle because I know what the result of this election will be. But pray that this empowerment does not unleash a catastrophe, immediate or subtle in the balance of this nation.
India is a complex country. A diverse democracy, the only thing that keeps this balance in place is an immense level of tolerance for all other communities. But politics is a dirty game. And to ensure longevity in its corridors, people have made what history can only name as gross blunders.
I know that the leaders are a savvy lot. They know what works at a state level can not work on a national scale. They understand the global checks in place and the perception that must be maintained. And I pray that this pragmatism keeps their attention towards the economic development for which they will be chosen today. But fractal politics has its way of creeping into the hearts of the ambitious. I hope that the government that is formed today honors the faith of those millions of people who (unlike me) believe that they can change the fortunes of our country. I hope they prove me and my fears wrong. I will be only too happy to accept my biases and my belief that people can change will be re-instilled.
16th May 2014. Remember where you were this day. Like the Americans remember where they were when JFK was shot. Whatever the next few years hold, today promises to be a historical day. I for my part, will have my hands folded in prayer, asking for peace, mercy and prosperity. And just in case god is too busy listening to other people...I'll have my passport ready!
