A Common Man's Voice...!!

I am not writing this to blame any person or a political party in specific! This is just what I felt after a small incident and I think that what I will be writing here is the need of an hour.

My mother is a member of a club. She had been for a meeting of that club.

Now it so happened that the district head and the city head of some political party were present in the meeting as a member of that club.  Mom called me up and said that the meeting was over and these two personalities and one more woman, an ‘active’ member of that party were coming to our place to make a request (so called request) that my mom OUGHT to be a member of that political party and hold a position. The reason as they themselves mentioned was that my mom was very much active in the club, she holds special interest in social work and wants to do something for the society without any expectations (Well, we knew these things too, we know mom better than they do).

They arrived and started demanding that we should allow mom to be a part of the party and hold a position. On this my father asked them the kind of work they handled. They said that they cared more about women in the society. They paid attention to women’s’ issues. For example, now that June was nearing, they saw to it that admission of girls in the colleges happened smoothly! (I was like what’s there to see, one has to follow the procedures, why does a political party need to get into it?)

Then they said they ‘observe’ situation of girls in college, meaning if they pay attention to the girls who are troubled by the opposite sex and tackle the problem, they see to it that public toilets for women are maintained, etc. They highlighted the fact that the party had told them that there should be 80% social service and 20% politics.

But I found this statement false the very next minute when they said, “It’s better to be in a political party on a position. Your position helps you to get your work done faster, not only yours but someone else’s too.” They also spoke something (I don’t remember what exactly) about 33% reservation of women in the society!!

These women had been to our house for the first time and I didn’t want any kind of argument, therefore I kept mum. But inside, I was angry on them and wanted to literally throw them out of the house.

They said having a position in a political party helps! I mean, as a citizen of this country, why the hell do I need recommendation of a person of a political party to get my work done!?!? As a citizen of my country, it’s my and everyone’s ‘adhikaar’ to get my work done without any kind of recommendation.

Also, they spoke of reservation as a way to get things on track for women in the society. Why do we need reservation of ANY kind for ANYONE in the society!!? There is something known as ‘merit’ and it is a justified way to let someone achieve his/her goal.

Of course, there are many more things which will come up only with these two statements these ‘so called’ social workers, implementing 80% social service, 20% politics made. Let’s not go into the details but this clearly states that there is a contradictory situation. These women are into 80% politics and 20% social service or let’s say 100% politics and 0% social service.

I was in a situation if one should enter into politics or not!? But every one of us thinks of politics as an area filled with garbage and refuses to enter the dump yard to clean up the garbage. But, due to this, our politics lacks many genuine people, which is the real requirement. Its time genuine people should enter politics and clean the garbage. The voice of a majority of real people can prove to a major asset to change the face of politics.

The two statements above made by the ‘so called’ social workers are very harmful to the society and to women issues. But they fail to see this. I did feel that if this is what these women think, there it’s a pile of more garbage being added, making things really stinky!!! In such a situation, joining the party is pointless. But change has to take place! It’s high time…!! Either from within or from outside, by joining the political party or by denying to join and gathering real people to fight against it, be it any apt method, but things ought to change!!

The choice is of the individual, whether he/she would like the change to happen from within or from outside, but if he/she wants change to take place, he/she should be active.

And for all this to happen, one should remember that change has to take place from within. It is the attitude of the people that matter and hence, proper introspection and change in one’s own self is the key of change in the society.

“Be the change…”