Put up or shut up!!

Last night, 4 of us were leaving a friend’s party in an elevator which stops at a lower floor. A couple were trying to enter the elevator. We politely smile and suggest that they take the next one. The lady stubbornly insists on entering the crowded space. Chivalry takes over common sense and we oblige. On reaching the ground floor, the elevator sinks a foot lower than the exit. Stuck in the elevator. The lady starts cursing the fact that the elevator was overloaded. We look at each other and smile. Then she vents her anger on the poor quality of the lift and starts blasting the watchman. We nod helplessly. She continues to curse her bad luck. Finally suggests that we break open the lift door. Even starts banging the door. The watchman continues to struggle from the outside to open the elevator door with his key. I can sense the tension he feels as the couple continues to vent frustration. We simply grin and bear it. Thankfully the watchman manages to open the door. She rushes out and thanks her lucky stars. The husband comments that this happened due to over-loading that folks should not be allowed to overload the elevator again in the night. Really sir? Your 150 kg wife and her unchallenged determination had nothing to do with this situation? I love India. We all love playing the blame game. But seldom introspect.

Perhaps this situation is a metaphor for the state of Indian politics today. The country’s economic condition and the capacity of the common man to same money currently seem to be going down an elevator. Blame games remain rampant among the voter base. But participation in the form of  even voting for the right candidate remains dismal. So this election, either sport a black mark on your right index finger. Or simply desist from speaking about the black mark that continues to be cast on Indian politics. That’s right. Put up or shut up!

Amish Mody