The Great Indian Con Job

As usual, I was driving to work today and on the way, I saw scores of people walking on the pavement moving in a singular direction - towards the Vidhana Soudha.

There must have been at least 10,000 people, and they were walking, coming in buses, trucks, tempos and other forms of transport. The occasion? Surely for the swearing-in ceremony of the new government in Karnataka.

I took a second look at the milling crowds - they didn't look like party workers at all. Matter of fact, they all were poor, haggard villagers, who have been herded into Bangalore to attend the political event.

This got me thinking. I made a mental list of facts:

1. These folks are not here for the love of the party or the new government.

2. They're here because their attendance is incentivized - either through cash or freebies like food, clothes, intoxicants, etc.

The above is true for any such political event. Parties need to show strength and the poor masses are an excellent and cheap resource for populating these events - either to display mass support or to make sure that the speaker doesn't address empty stands!

Now for some hypothesis - if all these 'attendees' were well-to-do, prosperous folks, would they take the trouble to come from far flung villages to attend an event they have no clue about?

Obviously not. I mean, if someone tells YOU to hop on to a truck and sit through heat and dust listening to a day-long political sermon, and in exchange, you will receive some money and clothes, would you?

Therefore, it makes complete sense for those ruling this country and its various states to sustain that valuable mass of resources. They know that as soon as prosperity seeps to that strata, they won't have anyone to bring for their rallies, political events and ceremonies.

So?

Keep that mass poor for as long as possible. That explains why we continue to remain one of the poorest countries in the world. And if the current system continues, we will remain there for eternity.

We keep hearing politicians and ministers talking of 'growth for all' and 'inclusive growth', but nothing is ever really done. Now I understand why.

I call this the Great Indian Con Job. But many erudites and intellectuals prefer calling this 'democracy'.

Unfortunately, the 10 pc growth that is being witnessed is only limited to the urban folks. Moreover, we're forced to live in a cocoon, built by newspapers, magazines and television.

The truth however is hidden in some obscure documentary that never makes it to mass media.

Finally, India today is perceived as a 1 billion people strong economy. But can someone tell me of that 1 billion, how many actually contribute to the economy and receive its benefits?