Thread by @Reading_Btwn_

As the intellectuals call it, we live in a world of post truth & post reality.Polls in India have begun today;let's address some 'ground realities':
1)We don't live in a world of black & white;anymore!Though, there's those amongst us who try hard to polarise it one way or the1/n

other.Those that clearly work on the commmunal faultlines,while shouting 'wolf'!
We have seen politicians, religious leaderships & organizations lay out diktats & warnings on whom to vote & not!We have seen a guy whipped,made to glorify the whipper's epithet of identity 2/n

& abuse the PM,the veracity of the video hitherto uncertain;
is doing the rounds of social media.We have seen a leader respond to such,with wordplay with obvious connotations & we have seen the secular, independent 'intelligentsia' & 'journalists' of India,speak out against 1;3/n

rather critically & refrain from any comments against the other.We have seen politically charged debates on all news channels, where no one knows what's debated & what they're saying! They're more like shouting matches!4/n

We have watched a clip of alleged cadre of a party cut an animal amidst vulgar chants & circulate it just to belittle another party & the sentiments of a group of Indians!We have seen Goons of a particular political leaning thrash the workers of another political party; 5/n

literally dragging & pushing them out of the area!We have seen, an alleged poll official cleaning up walls of all political advertisements except of one party!6/n

We have also seen the booth officers in West Bengal urging for Central forces coz they're sure some party will create ruckus & the local machinery would be of no assistance!We have seen an EVM thrown &trashed by a certain so called 'political leader'7/n

We have seen calls for separation from the so called 'main stream political leadership' of JK.We have seen the PM's biopic being stayed,but a book trying to taint him about the rafale deal, published!8/n

We have seen political leaders being caught with hundreds of crores, worth of unaccounted for cash completely disregarding that very fact &calling it political vendetta!
The funniest things:1)the credit for surgical/air strikes lies with the armed forces. 9/n

2)the credit for the ASAT Missile test with DRDO; both of them very rightly so; but the credit for 1)ED's probe of honorable Mr Vadra 2)IT probes of the National Herald & Mr Kamalnath's aides lies with the PM.Very convenient!Isn't it?10/n

Enough said about the realities on the ground!Good,bad,ugly;they are! What they are!The only people who have the power to do anything about it:us!As,I said earlier,the polls have begun & that which is rightly the biggest festival of our democracy is afoot.11/n

I don't intend to tell us like some of our illustrious intelligentsia, who to vote or not!
Indian voters as they say,are intelligent.I will however share with u,what I think could be a basis on which we could choose: 12/n

1) Corruption:Corruption is not just monetory or financial.Corruption may be of thoughts,thought processes,mindsets,the resultant expression,behaviour,the culture,the ethos that is being Indian frm time immemorial.We need to analyse this on two levels:a)our local representative13

b)the party he/she represents
Often, the local representative might be a role model,but is the party leadership clean too?Be very objective about it!A clean local representative can do little if the leadership is corrupt.14/n

On,the other hand a local representative with a sullied past could very well be made to toe the line over time,if the leadership is on the right track.Mind u,I'm not at all saying,u vote in corrupt people. Definitely not!15/n

Sadly,We knw how reality stands,there's some sort of corruption everywhere,but we also know in our minds which is beyond repair & which isn't!There's no generalisation in this!Choose wisely,with ur 'सद-सद विवेक बुद्धि' forgoing momentary gains for the future of our children.
16/n

2)#IndiaFirst,refrain from voting based on ur religion,caste, community,tribe.This is the national election!Don't think limitedly! & selfishly,for this one!Vote for what is right for India as a whole!There are other local elections to vote for the other social/communal unities.17

If u vote for anything less than India; for any other individual vested interest,even that is corruption.The vested interest for this election,for every Indian,should be India!
3) Sustainable Development:That is the logical 3rd,if we vote sans corruption;keeping communal 18/n

interests aside!Development doesn't mean loan waivers & doles(though they are necessary)!It does mean:social welfare,infrastructure development, enhanced medical facilities, improvement in financial,taxation systems, ecological conservation, pollution control! All that & the19/n

resultant developments!
It means development & improvement not for a community,caste,tribe;religious, linguistic or regional denomination!But,for every Indian for our children.Think hard about who can give us that, before u vote!20/n

4)Defence,international relations:Think about who is capable of protecting India's interests best vis a vis international affairs, protection of the nation state,trade,the identity & pride of being Indian!21/n

Finally to conclude, I'll reiterate what I said earlier,the media sullies the nation's narrative with narratives of parties with vested interests in the political game.Vested interests of those who don't consider #IndiaFirst ! 22/n

Don't be pressurised, don't be bribed, don't be forced or coerced! Introspect & Vote for what is right!Use ur सद-सद विवेक बुद्धि!
Note:Some may call the thread communal or divisive. That's not what it is!I have just narrated what has already come to pass!

What happened was communal. I'm just putting it up here to request every Indian to vote & vote sensibly.
Tweeted in public interest!
Bharat Mata ki Jai
Vande Mataram