Election campaigns are but a means
To pull the elders and the teens
For the elections have become a market
For political parties to trade and hit a hat-trick
India is the world’s biggest democracy and elections have an overwhelming share of glamour from Bollywood and Sports. Today elections have become a battle where political parties entice the public with good looks and charm. Film Stars, Sports Personalities, and Entertainers should not be allowed to participate in electoral campaigns because the Political parties try to transform glamour to votes. Moreover, loads of money is also paid, which is a waste, to these actors to participate in electoral campaigns.
Election has its decorum and personality politics is harmful. It is endemic. It is not a mere spectacle but has a greater role to play. It seems as if there is a lack of issues to be raised and there is a vacuum in the political philosophy. Generally, the policies of the party should speak but today it seems to be like a plot-less and message-less movie, which needs extras to liven up the proceedings. These personalities are like a fresh breeze or enthusiasm to a moribund party. The political parties have reached a plateau and thus fail to attract voters which means, political parties need to rely on apolitical means. There is an emptiness of political appeal. Leaders, their work, party’s efforts should win the hearts but the simple people are lured by these cheese rinds. The Film Stars and Sports Personalities should work and rule in their arena of glitz and glitterati and glamour and not be a party to befool the innocent people.
The BJP began publicizing its celebrity support long before the elections started. In January, Bollywood A-listers including Ranbir Kapoor, Karan Johar, Ranveer Singh, and Ayushmann Khurrana met with Narendra Modi, India’s Prime Minister in Delhi, and a picture of the prime minister surrounded by stars was widely shared. “One thing is clear: the purpose behind the BJP’s open wooing of Bollywood is to score propaganda points and influence young voters, and tell them how much the Stars adore Modi,” said Pawan Prataya, a journalist based in Patna. Have you ever taken a closer look at the tall oak tree which rises from a small acorn but grows straight upright and also at a creeper which entwines its tendrils to climb? Well if we see metaphorically only the weak needs support. This is what the elections have become. The political parties take the help of Bollywood Personalities to woo or win elections. The political parties too seem to be devoid of ideas, policies, and programs. Their sole purpose is to win elections. In today’s world where everything sells, one must know how to and who better than these polished politicians who brought the glamour and charm to politics. They are trying to entice the voters. These Personalities can be crowd pullers but not election winners. It’s the work in those five years, they are elected for, that counts. As oak tree does not require support so if a representative does actually work for the public, they will not have to rely on this paraphernalia. Pratyay also said, “The film ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike,’ which was released in January, was timed in such a way that it could have an impact on elections. It was basically a propaganda film aimed at boosting the image of Modi and his regime.”
“More than 30 Bollywood celebrities, including Jackie Shroff, Kailash Kher, Sonu Sood and, Vivek Oberoi, have allegedly been caught in a sting operation for agreeing to promote the agenda of parties on social media platforms in exchange for money”, online portal Cobrapost claimed. The money wasted on the Film Stars could actively be used for developmental purposes for in reality a lot needs to be done, mere polish and shine or denting and panting would not work. Parties need to have strong leaders with even stronger ideologies and ideas that would help them win the battle for that is what constituencies have become, a warning ground where each party tries hand by using all the methods of saam daam dand bhed. “They would defend the government even on controversial issues such as rape and fatal accidents such as bridge collapses. They were even willing to sign a dummy contract for endorsement of products to disguise the real nature of the proxy political campaigning that they were willing to do,” Cobrapost editor-in-chief Aniruddha Bahl said.
It is more like a game of chess where you beat your opponent and it is checkmate. Here, in reality, it’s a different story to wake up from your dream for one day you will realize that the ground under your feet has been snatched away by the very ones who raised you high on a platform. Many would say that these celebrities are too citizens and have every right but let me enlighten you that they have the right to participate in these campaigns and vote as well but not to misguide or entice the public. The public is not blind or foolish. Had this been so all politicians who are able to grab big artists would have won. Now only the truth sells. The people are not ready to gulp the sugar-coated pill. Let this be your mantra
Don’t play this dirty game
By roping in the people of fame
We have a mind
Don’t pretend to be kind
Let them be in the world of entertainment
Do not play with our sentiments
A butterfly will hover over a real flower
Not artificial
No matter how real it appears.
Pawan Prataya, “Celebrities, Bollywood heavily involved in India’s general elections”,
Arab News, 11 May, 2019 https://www.arabnews.com/node/1495451/world
Aniruddha Bahl, “Bollywood Celebrities Agreed To Promote Political Parties on Social
Media for Money: Cobrapost”, India News, 19 February, 2019 https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-bollywood-celebrities-agreed-to-promote-political-parties-on-social-media-for-money-cobrapost/325793
Aishwarya Says:
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