Companionship

I was taking an evening walk this weekend. While approaching my residence lane, from a distance, I noticed two figures almost “not” walking. As I started approaching them, the figures became apparent and I could see this lady holding her husband’s hand. Both of them were old, above 65 years of age, and the husband needed a help of a walker for support and draw strength to move. Further, he was taking baby steps to walk the blocks, which revealed to me about his ill health. Yet, seeing that the lady is holding his hand gave me a sense of achievement. Achievement? Yes, achievement, because my heart was filled with soft sensation and happiness to see a married couple sharing the pain. As I was about to cross them, the man stopped and just nodded in order to take a brief stoppage. I crossed and soon reached the turn of the road. I turned back. I saw that her hand is still intact on his’. They started to walk again. The lady seemed to me relentless, patient; that’s companionship. I had to take this turn. I took the turn. But my outlook towards a selfless companionship had turned making me realize what it truly means. That was true companionship.

A toast for our Democracy

A week back or so, Dr Manmohan Singh, our learned PM, opined that independent candidates actually cut down the chances of the rightful party (or candidate) to come in power by cutting into the vote share. According to him, even if such a candidate (independent) wins it doesn’t serve the purpose in the larger perspective to represent public opinion. This means that the winning independent candidate(s) will anyway be sitting on the opposition (without voice to be heard) lest he or she (or they) joins a coalition that forms the government. I feel, by commenting so, Dr Manmohan Singh has ashamed us all considering high profile position in the government and more so in our democracy. Now, my respect for him has suffered a dent. I hope I am right in understanding PM’s rhetoric in this subject, but I will leave room for Congress Party spokespersons to correct my understanding of Mr PM’s objective of saying so.

Yet, when I see people on the other side of the voting system for whom we vote say that we need to come into the system if we really want to better it, I find Mr PM’s opinion as a contradictory one. Now, if I need to enter the system I am asked to have a full time commitment and not fight election by taking sabbatical. Also, we need to join parties that are nationalist in approach (representation) and not just emerge as independents in the ocean of candidatures. So, whom shall I vote for? For a party (or a candidate) who rubbishes the idea of this very democratic process, which evokes a feeling to be counted amongst others ------ OR ------ the ones, who might win but would not be the voice they are meant to be in the crowd of 545?

The question remains… as after the musical chair of seat sharing in various states, I stand clueless which party represents whose ideology and whom I will be voting for as the next Prime Minister? Nothing compares to India’s Democracy and its crazy idiosyncrasies intertwined within to put our life into total… well, it’s anyone’s guess! After all, we are going to make a choice. Whether it turns out for India’s larger benefit or not, would be seen in the next four years; fifth year, obviously, going to be a better one than the previous four, to pave path for another four years, I reckon. I raise a toast to this entire process… will you join me?