VOTING IN INDIAN IDOL: DOES IT REFLECT UPON INDIAN DEMOCRACY?

The “Indian Idol” and “Saregama” have both become democratic singing competitions. The judges and their judgment are indeed important but the vote of the audience is even more so and final.

In one of the previous contests that I happen to remember, a contestant from North East won the competition on the basis of votes. The judges’ decision was contrary to what emerged out of voting. The anchor kept on stressing the fact that an overwhelming majority of votes have come from the North East and do not represent the entire India. The other contestant, supposed to be better if you believe the judges, received less votes and lost out.

This is not an isolated instance. Every time these contests take place, the voting goes on the lines of caste, religion, region, language.

The voters forget that the issue at hand is singing. That they are expected to vote for the better singer – the one who has more capability. In fact, from what I have so far seen, the main issue becomes completely buried under other, extraneous considerations.

The Indian media makes much of the Indian Janata in every election analysis. When we vote out a government or vote another in, the refrain is always “Wow! Even if most of the voters be illiterate, see how intelligently they have voted!” Immortalized in the Hindi songs and movies and channels is the axiom “Yeh to public hai, yeh sab janti hai.”

But think again. Do you think that a public which cannot vote straight even when the issue is simple like singing prowess of a singer will be able to vote on the basis of issues in the general elections? If they cannot see a singer of another region/religion/caste/language win a mere singing competition, how can they see someone heterogeneous to them winning an election to become an MP/MLA for the next five years and affecting their lives directly and indirectly?

The famed Indian Janata votes every time only on parochial lines and tries to elect people who belong to them. Rationales and issues actually do not count.

And if we select incompetent singers, we also select incompetent people to govern us. That is the sole reason why we do not move ahead. That is the sole reason why decisions of national importance get blocked by extraneous considerations on the part of every party. That is the sole reason why criminals can cock a snook not only at law but also actually become lawmakers. That is the reason why nuclear deals become confused with Muslim votes. That is the reason why Sachar Committees are set up. That is the reason that a foreigner can occupy a post that is greater than that of Indian Prime Minister and President combined and dictate terms to both of them and everyone in a completely unconstitutional manner. And that is the reason that the Indian voter will vote back complete mediocrity and actually love it.