India’s political climate is quite exciting and hopeful these days, thanks to the triumph of Aam Aadmi’s Party. The miraculous results of assembly elections in Delhi made political giants reflect upon the traditional nature of Indian Politics.
The impact of this election not only confines to Delhi and surrounding states but is far reaching. The traditional mindset of India’s Aam Aadmi was shaped by century old medieval political system. It used to see ruling class as a hereditary entity that was ‘born to rule’ while impoverished and poor subject is ‘born to be ruled’. 67 years after independence, this old mindset has not yet completely changed in spite of India’s democratic system of government. The fact could easily be seen if one takes a glance at political banners put on display aside roads adding significantly to the ugliness of our cities. The images of self-proclaimed leaders and their protégé in various poses show their ‘born to rule’ attitude from chowk to chowk. On the other hand, Aam Aadmi – the real player of the game of democratic political system, walks silently on the road ignoring it as if he has nothing to do with all this or rather, it seems him beyond his capacity to change. Elections after elections come as a season and Aam Aadmi performs his duty of putting one of these born to rule leaders onto the thrown of the country. He has no other role in this ‘struggle for thrown’ because it requires money and muscle power. For him this task is only for the people who have ‘hoards of money’ or ‘gangs of men’ ready to do anything for them. Lacking both the skills Aam Aadmi assumes it that politics is none of his business.
The recent developments in India’s political scenario however changed this traditional notion, significantly though not completely. Emerging political trends like ‘Aam Aadmi Party’ symbolises this fact. People now don’t want to be ‘ruled’ but rather ‘served’. They want to break the century long ‘born to rule’ attitude of ruling class and its tendency to take people for granted. It is on this backdrop that the unprecedented victory of Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi assembly elections could be seen as a beginning of change in Indian politics.
