HERE AND THERE ON POLITICS

Malsawm Kipgen

Politics as you know is defined in simple words as the art or science of governance or governing such as a nation, state and various other administrations. Politics is quintessence to our daily lives as much as economics or sciences are. Developed nations have stabled polity. Take for example, U.S.A is developed in terms of polity as well as economy.

Politics can have different connotations according to different walks of life. To minor religious groups, it may mean the authority using undue power in the passing of a law which favours the major religious group. High Court of Maharashtra banning the slaughter of cow or selling of beef is a case in example. To a heart broken lover, cheaters are playing politics by making love until when they benefit and break up the moment there is no gain in the relationship. To a disheartened student, when a teacher resorts to favouritism and practices injustice in giving marks, s/he is doing politics. To an unemployed men and women, the unserious attitude of government in providing a decent job is politics. Finally, many religions do not permit homosexual relationships but today we could see laws not only gives permit but also protects them from society. For religious people, it is unacceptable and such laws are politics of evil.

`Mahatma Gandhi once said, Hate the evil not the evil doers. His words are powerful and full of wisdom. If we eradicate the evil from earth, there will remain no people to do evil things and thus no evil doers. But if someone said to you, Hate the politics and spare the politicians, will you agree with him? Will this not bring smile to those politicians who compromise politics? If first thing is first, is it not the men who created politics for supposed better society and called themselves politicians? Can politics exist by itself? Is it justifiable to put blame on politics which is non-living, which does not exist physically and which cannot think? For all wrong things however though, we curse both, the doers and their doing.

Not everyone can become doctor, engineer or civil servant. Many girls in Manipur choose the profession of nurse soon after their 10+2 in the hope of a better future. Some took the course of BSc (Nursing) and some others ANM and GNM. But this does not guarantee them a fine job in government hospitals. Some lucky ones might have got easy job in government hospitals but most of them have to seat for examination for the limited vacancy notify by the concerned department. Every year in India, SSC and IBPS conduct examination to recruit new staffs in different departments and regions of the country. They notify jobs vacancy along with the necessary requirements such as age and educational qualification. The fulfillment of the given criteria does not necessary mean he/she is selected for the post. One has to undergo intense test to finally select for the given post. Such is the intensity of selection that only the qualified and best candidates are selected and till today there is no question of selected candidates incapable of performing their duties. But why do we have no such criteria in the selection of politicians? Why is there no such intense examination for the selection of the most qualified and best politicians for a job which affects every sphere of life? For a doctor, it is not okay to select anybody but for a politician, it is okay to allow anybody to become politicians? Dont you think that we are not giving much importance in the field which affects us most?

Doctors, engineers, administrators, professors, geographers, historians, contractors, social workers etc all can enter politics and can be called politician. Whether a doctor or a scientist knows anything about constitution, law and democracy, s/he is fit anyway to be become a politician because s/he has money. Is the profession of politics that simple? Are we not compromising our wellbeing by allowing anyone to become a politician? There is no restriction in the field of politics which means thief, rapist, murderer, liar etc can become a politician provided they can hide their true colour from the public. Is this not a contempt to our Constitution and democracy which upholds Satyagraha?

It seems today that famous politicians are all about knowing the art of bhasan (public speech) and saying vikas (development) and eradication of bhrastachaar (corruption) in public gathering during election. Many politicians have mind blowing ability of making lie seem true. Politicians have seemed to be become a better actor than filmy actors.

In a nutshell, politics is inevitable and good politics can come about only when the public do a check on the whereabouts of politician, show sincerity and seriousness on the working of politics and politicians, and start doing something important for good governance one day at a time. Politics must be taken as sacred and politicians must enjoy doing its job (community service) and continue doing research on good politics and most importantly not compromise the sanctity of politics in any given circumstances.