One of the things the country is going gaga over is the
current PM. Great. He does seem to be making all the right noises and is
promising an administration that works. Only time will tell what will actually happen.
In any case – my vote was going for his party for a very simple selfish reason.
A few years ago, I came to the conclusion that all of them are equally bad, but
at least the right winged BJP when in power started the amazing road project
called the golden quadrilateral. Thanks to this at least we got some great
arterial roads linking the country. When Jasmine and I bought our second home,
we were completely short of cash and therefore we needed a vacation we resorted
to driving holidays to save time. I used to always tell Jasmine to go on a
driving holiday. For many years she steadfastly refused. But I guess the lure
of saving so much money was too much to refuse and she agreed. Then we were
hooked and we went to places as far as Hampi or Udaipur in our car for a
vacation. So my vote was clear. I get my road and you get your vote.
This time the route of the Congress has been complete. With less
than 50 seats they are not in a position to even be the head of the opposition.
This has the supporters going gaga. Public memory is notoriously short. 10
years ago when congress won without a PM candidate everyone expected the
Italian born Sonia to take the post. When she gave the mantle to the affable
Manmohan Singh, people thought it’s a wonderful thing. He was the toast of the nation
and everything he did was awesome and path breaking. Especially his honesty.
His wife was interviewed and was asked about the rising cooking gas prices. She
knew the price and was hopeful they don’t rise. The PM’s life was simple enough
that his wife was hands on in the managing the household on simple budgets. Ten
years hence the poor guy was pilloried in media and on jokes and was seen as an
honest man but who couldn’t speak or say anything against the high command. Let’s
see what Modi has to offer. Right now he is living the PR dream.
So coming back – everyone seems to enjoying the amazing
mandate that the PM got. A complete destruction of the opposition. Now here is
where I turn turncoat (is that a double negative) but yes, now I am lamenting
the lack of an opposition. The joker in the pack in this election was the AAP
party. Born out of an opposition to corruption, this party contested the Delhi
assembly polls to come in with a slim mandate and became the ruling party.
After that the media turned on him and he started doing the wrong things to be
in the limelight. Possibly he was doing a great job on basic governance but his
last stand was to sit in a dharna outside the parliament. The CM doing a dharna
in his own state. That was kind of weird. He lost some support in his own
backyard. Then he contested the National elections in 400+ seats only to win 4.
He hardly even made a dent as a party spoiler.
All over the AAP was lampooned. Which is possibly a fait
thing but still his value to the country as a mad crazy opposition was too
valuable to loose. He seems governed by his own agenda. He seems to be anti
everything, he seems to be directed by his own mad passion for opposing. He is
the classical opposition and for a democracy to thrive we need him. So now I would
love to be with him.
While browsing around – I came to this site www.prop4rev.com. A bunch of young film
makers set out to document the opposition to corruption movement and ended up
following and documenting the start of the AAP party. They didn’t realize the
goldmine they were onto. And they shot a real load of footage. Post which they
needed money for postproduction. Here is their video
Now I normally don’t open my purse strings for charity. I don’t
even donate to any party. My charity is limited to those around me. In the past
I used to give for some social cause but that too is something I have stopped. I
rather help people I know, touch and feel. But this seemed too good and close
to my heart to resist.
Young kids deciding to shoot an anti-corruption movement
find themselves in a sea of revolution. A crazy bunch of committed individuals
trying to change the country. Then they go online and decide to raise money. On
the website they shoot a great video and make a compelling case. Then write
some nice lines and put figures against which you can see what to get in
addition to warm fuzzy feelings. I opened my kitty.
A few days later I get this email from them thanking me and
telling me that they achieved their funding goal.
Dear Jaimit,
Thank you for
contributing Rs.** towards our
initiative, Proposition for a
Revolution. You have been one of the first few to participate, and we
really appreciate your gesture.
Thanks to
well-intentioned and generous people such as yourself, we have already raised
over Rs. 12,00,000. As you might have seen on the website, that Rs.12,00,000
was our minimum target.However, this is only the beginning.
This is what we need
to complete an initial rough cut of the film. After this, we will also
need funds for other imperative post production costs, like sound design, music
work, colour correction, etc., and eventually also for publicity towards release,
outreach to cinema theaters across India, etc. We truly feel that the
film should reach out to as many people as possible.
Your contribution has
helped towards making this happen. Thank you. We urge you to continue sharing
the campaign, and supporting the initiative.
Visit our
website: www.prop4rev.com
Like us on: www.facebook.com/prop4rev
Follow us on: www.twitter.com/prop4rev
Subscribe to us
on: www.youtube.com/prop4rev
This is also the
beginning of a political dialogue in the country, wherein we can voice and put
into action the change we wish to see around us. We would like everyone
to become part of this dialogue.
We will keep you
updated with progress on the project over the next few months. This is
your project too, now.
Best Wishes,
Khushboo and Vinay
---
Cute and nice. I must appreciate their effort. Well
done. Worth my pennies. They also very
cleverly hid the fact that they need more money after post production in the
appeal but slipped it in the emailer. Solid marketing buggas these kids have
turned out to be. Nice job. A great proposition!
