Few would have been as passionate as me - in the electoral process that began in April and ended yesterday. But at the end, for me, it all came to naught - because I choose not to cast my vote yesterday - the polling day of the 2013 General Elections. The party I support may have lost one vote - my vote - but I am a happy man nonetheless - because I will not be carrying the burden of guilt on my conscience - for the part I would have played in the election’s final outcome, had I cast my vote. Years from now, when the history of our democracy will be written, I do not want posterity to record me as one among hundreds of thousands who participated in this darkest of dark elections.
Elections are held primarily to offer the people an opportunity to exercise their fundamental right to vote and, through that process, to elect a government of their choice. Sadly though, towards the final days to the run up to the polling day, it became clear to me that the 2013 General Elections wasn’t going to be about the free and fair exercise of the will of the people of Bhutan. Thus, as of 1st July, I decided to stop writing anything related to elections.
This election belonged to India. And they won.
But there are some who tell me that India’s win is Bhutanese people’s win. That the party India preferred was victorious would mean that India would no longer twist our arms into surrender and subservience. That India will double and triple their aid money to us, that they will reinstate the subsidies that have been withdrawn; that they will increase the power tariff that is currently under negotiation. That they will give us Boleros, helicopters, farm tractors and that they will inject billions into our banks to revive and reinvigorate commercial lending to businesses and industries and aspiring car owners. That the Indian Rupee shortage would be a thing of the past!
All that promise of plenty is certainly tempting and surely some of us have been tempted. Whether it is worth pawning off our souls in return - for another five years - is a decision that seems to be out of our hands. Others have already made that decision on our behalf. Now let us wait and see if India will deliver all that they have promised. The world will be our witness.
For the moment, let us give the benefit of doubt to the doomsday soothsayers.
For the benefit of my overseas readers, I am happy to upload the following 2013 General Election Results. The 15 constituencies where the DPT won is marked in yellow.
Elections are held primarily to offer the people an opportunity to exercise their fundamental right to vote and, through that process, to elect a government of their choice. Sadly though, towards the final days to the run up to the polling day, it became clear to me that the 2013 General Elections wasn’t going to be about the free and fair exercise of the will of the people of Bhutan. Thus, as of 1st July, I decided to stop writing anything related to elections.
This election belonged to India. And they won.
But there are some who tell me that India’s win is Bhutanese people’s win. That the party India preferred was victorious would mean that India would no longer twist our arms into surrender and subservience. That India will double and triple their aid money to us, that they will reinstate the subsidies that have been withdrawn; that they will increase the power tariff that is currently under negotiation. That they will give us Boleros, helicopters, farm tractors and that they will inject billions into our banks to revive and reinvigorate commercial lending to businesses and industries and aspiring car owners. That the Indian Rupee shortage would be a thing of the past!
All that promise of plenty is certainly tempting and surely some of us have been tempted. Whether it is worth pawning off our souls in return - for another five years - is a decision that seems to be out of our hands. Others have already made that decision on our behalf. Now let us wait and see if India will deliver all that they have promised. The world will be our witness.
For the moment, let us give the benefit of doubt to the doomsday soothsayers.
For the benefit of my overseas readers, I am happy to upload the following 2013 General Election Results. The 15 constituencies where the DPT won is marked in yellow.
yes, India won..Hope its a win for the Bhutanese too. I am sure financial aid will flow in but i am doubtful that the electricity tariff will increase.. If India provides us with favorable power tariff to all our hydropower plants, then all the bhutanese have won and we have chose the right party.. But if its the other way, we are doomed.. We have already let India to decide our government and it ll continue to meddle for a long long time..This is the worst element of politics that we welcomed in the 2013 election.. I hope India will genuinely and sincerely aid Bhutan with clear conscience and action...Hope we are not just a chess piece!!!!
ReplyDeleteI am an Indian and see your blog from a tangential view.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how come one session old democracy has already seen darkest of dark election. May be the situation of democracies around the globe is invisible there.
I loved Bhutan, I observed Bhutan, consulted with Bhutan and wrote for Bhutan in past, hence know it as a back of my hand.
On one side we talk about sovereignty of the nation and other side we talk about aid and support. India may have tried to pull the plugs at wrong time but does any one of you care to understand why a friendly nation of 200 years would do that?
Do you think India does not know what transpired between Chinese premier and L JYT? Does any of you care to mark the day as the darkest day for friendly nation? Not only meeting but everything that happened between China and Bhutan, after the meeting, was certainly not a friendly act. Do you know why His Majesty visited India, as a Chief Guest for republic day 2013? Go find out and then call it dark day for democracy.
Why do you think the British counsel was appointed by Hon L JYT? Don’t you think that was dark day for Indo-Bhutan relations?
Had you written a blog that day, your decision not to cast vote might have been found to be just.
India is the same country that helped Bhutan to Join Colombo Plan, NAM, UNO. Same country that charted the path to democracy for Bhutan and even the voting machines for elections were gifted by India.
Bhutan has to decide which way it has to go, China has already said if Tibet is hand of china Bhutan is our finger (A letter by Chinese premier - 1952).
As far as I know, our King had to attend your Republic Day as Chief Guest because as usual India bungled and was insulted by the Sultan of Oman at the last minute by refusing to attend as Chief Guest.
ReplyDeleteWant to dig deep?
ReplyDelete1 Jan Pavan K Verma forced to resign.
7 Jan Mr Haran anointed as ambassador to Bhutan.
26 Jan HM visits India as CG for Republic day of India. Specially meets with External Affairs Minister, Foreign Secretary and National Security Advisor of India. (In past CGs did not engage in meetings with Secretaries)
Want to dig even deeper?
Dear Anon,
ReplyDeleteObviously you know something that we Bhutanese do not know. It would help us understand better - why things happened the way it did. We would be truly grateful if you could tell us. We cherish Indo-Bhutan friendship but rite now we are truly puzzled. If you prefer to write to me, my email is at the top left hand below the profile image.
I will be glad to call you during my upcoming visit to Bhutan to exchange views.
ReplyDelete