India Shining???

The Times of India, arguably a rather venerable newspaper in India published with much glee, the news that for the first time in history, average Indian's income crosses Rs 3000.

While on the face of it, this is ecstatic news supposed to make you feel good and believe India is shining, a few facts would put the matter in perspective.

1. The average Indian is predominantly a fictitious character. The fact being that the middle class is slowly becoming a thing of the past. Rising incomes in key sectors ensures that the chasm between the haves and have-nots is essentially becoming wider and more well defined.
2. Any conclusion regarding an average distribution of demographic information, generally assumes that the distribution of the population is on a Bell's curve or somewhere near that. The truth is the population in India is nowhere near a bell curve, but rather as shown below. Applying a simple average to this type of distribution would produce a rather skewed result.

So when the news piece starts with the following line:
The monthly income of an average Indian for the first time in the country's history has crossed Rs 3,000, thanks to economic reforms and a high growth rate of above 9% achieved for three years since 2005-06.

I am seriously tempted to believe that this might just be a media stunt by some rather unscrupulous people, both in the media as well as the political machine, who still live under the false impression that resurgent India will now gobble up every lie thrown at them without question!!! The halo effect of a rather deserved mandate better die down now, because the great power has been given, and we will watch you while you perform your great responsibilities!!!

Will YOU vote???!!! My Audacity of Hope ....

Mumbai will go to the polls on 30th April 2009. And a long list of issues are pending with my city, the latest being terror!!

But will Mumbai wake up?? It still won't surprise me if apathy rules again.... Am I a cynic?? Read on:

1. Last week I overheard a co-worker say, "Arre, there's a holiday on election day. Do you realize that that makes Thursday, Friday [which is May 1st], Saturday and Sunday off?? Amazing, man... I'm planning a big vacation". I HOPE HE VOTES.
2. A man in the local train said, "Kya fayda?? [what's the use?]. Have you seen the candidates this time?? All chors or starry eyed independents". I HOPE HE VOTES.
3. The bus conductor said "They've put us on election duty. Just because they cannot find enough volunteers. They never are serious about it anyway." I HOPE HE VOTES.
4. A girl told me," I hate that ink they put on my finger. Really messes up my hands, man". I HOPE SHE VOTES.
5. Two youths outside an elite Business School "Did you see the Lead India campaign? Those men and women who went on that elated intellectual rampwalk. Never heard of them since. That's the kind of leader-wannabes we have to chose from" I HOPE THEY VOTE
6. On a Facebook discussion "This is no democracy. This is DEMO-CRAZY... Ha ha ha!" I HOPE THEY VOTE

You've heard this all everytime. Aamir Khan and Association for Democratic Reform making a statement about "Voting for Democracy". Janaagraha making its stand using the Jaago Re campaign. Everyone who's anyone keeps saying "vote vote vote" like its in fashion!!!

But ask yourself......... Will you get up out of bed on Thursday morning?? Will you take that short walk to your voting booth? Will you go through the lists to find your name? If you find it, will you queue up?? Will you get yourself inked? WILL YOU EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT???

WILL YOU VOTE??? FOR YOURSELF??

I will.........

But I'm skeptical about you. About your committment to my country. Because whether you decide to vote or not, someone will get elected. To decide about your life for the next five years. And you won't have a recourse to do anything else after that, other than complain and curse this country.

After all, its a democracy. And its your life!! Best of luck with it!!