Reader Rants 'n' Raves

Many formulas are being tried in India for garnering a large quantity of votes and seats WITH CANDIDATES WITH MASS APPEAL AND/OR POPULIST SLOGANS, so that it will be easier for candidates to tromp home with success. Cine fame is a big mass appealing factor in a candidate. And Mr Chiranjeevi amply fulfils this desirable factor. Usually once in power, almost any candidate or party tends to get giddy and mad with power, which is believed to be due to charisma of personalities and mass-hypnotizing effect of slogans, and not the TRUST OF THE MASSES EXPECTING REDUCTION OF THEIR SUFFERINGS AND IMPROVEMENT OF THEIR LOT. Hence democracy is not fully effective in this country. Let future politicians be dedicated and unselfish, and remember God is the only real storehouse of Power, Might and Invincibility.

The traditional Ratha Yatra was for divine idols, not matinee ones, with the Ratha (chariot) drawn by people to show their unity and solidarity in action. For the matinee idols, the chariot, a mere mammoth car chassis well decorated, is engine-driven.The symbolism in this case is means inability of the people to unite, but willingness to crowd together and get pushed at the speed of the engine, or rather the politician-idol.This is against the principle of democracy which assumes that people unite and drive the politician to achieve their common goal.This principle is forgotten and lo,people have become a flock of sheep driven by the herdsman.