The bureaucracy strikes again! I mean, do these people revel in making such inane decisions or is it just their innate incompetence peeking through the just-working superstructure of the system? Time and again, they have never failed to amaze onlookers with their ‘wisdom’ and their sheer ‘sanguinity’ about how things could be better if we just leave things to them.
The Election Commission of India, one of the most respected institutions in today’s turbulent times and more so because it has remained as a sole guardian of reason in the cesspool that is India’s bureaucracy. Its impartial and exemplary work in the area of conducting free and fair elections sans mishaps and misdemeanours has been appreciated all around, not only in India but also abroad. Its reluctance to tolerate the whims and fancies of blundering politicians has earned it the respect of the electorate.
And that is why the decision by the Commission to order the removal of all advertisements in the state of Uttar Pradesh pertaining to the polio immunization drives featuring Amitabh Bachchan is puzzling. The drive is part of a government initiative to reduce the occurrence of polio, and has been amongst the few successful initiatives coming out of the establishment’s stable. And the sole reason why these advertisements are on the radar are because Mr. Bachchan has often expressed support for the ruling Samajwadi Party in the state.
I find it an implausible notion that an advertisement for polio immunization should ever be construed as an appeal for votes. I mean, the drive isn’t a state government initiative; it’s governed by the central and the state government together. And Mr. Bachchan isn’t just any model; he’s an officially accredited UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. By the EC’s logic, then I don’t think that any advertisements issued by any State or Central Government ministry should pass the EC’s barrier. Let’s make it a level playing field, while we are at it, shall we?
Meanwhile, the move is being seen as one that could become a major blow to the campaign per se. While the EC is happy to allow the campaign itself to continue and just wants the endorsing celebrity to be changed, it is hard to imagine what impact any other celebrity would have in comparison to Mr. Bachchan. A study by the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry in collaboration with UNICEF had identified Uttar Pradesh as the epicentre of polio occurrences. The study found that 73.6 per cent guardians with children under the age of five in lower socio-economic categories could recall the television advertisement featuring Bachchan. The study also determined that the campaign had a positive impact. The percentage of “caregivers” who reported taking their children to polio booths was higher among those who were exposed to the TV campaign (73 per cent) than those had not seen it (55 per cent). At this juncture, to replace Mr. Bachchan with any other celebrity would not have the same impact as desirable. And we cannot afford slackening on this assault against polio.
While I don’t support canvassing for parties at the public exchequer’s cost, this hardly qualifies as the same. It should be noted that this campaign associates Mr. Bachchan with the polio campaign. Targeting Mr. Bachchan per se smacks of stupidity. Rather, the EC would do well to target those specific advertisements wherein some political figure is also mentioned. The campaign needs Mr. Bachchan; let’s not disturb the waters now!
9 comments:
Our politicians are seriously sick and the need of the hour is rationality vaccination.
Polio Immunization is just a farce. What is actually being done is Pre-Poll Immunization.
If everybody in this town connected with cinema and television had to leave town because of association with politics, you would have no showbiz.
Reddy, I hope your comment was not in response to mine, because I didn't understand it. What I mean is, this (banning the ad) is an unnecessarily trivial issue to try to gain one-upmanship. And I completely agree that Amitabh has been the true champion for the cause of Polio.
My comment was meant to state that if the EC were to start to stop the display of all media containing references to celebrities which have some association with some political outfit, there would no media left to display.
We all have to agree that the impact caused by Mr.Bachchan on the polio scene is highly noteworthy.But what I don't understand is why is the EC making such a big issue out of it?Amitabh's endorsing polio vaccination.That he supports the Samajwadi or any other of those innumerable stupid political parties in our country is his personal choice and of no concern to the EC or any political outfit.This just goes on to show how immature our politicians are!!All they are concerned about is the 'vote bank'.Public welfare is of no concern to them.Now,it seems the EC is dancingto the tunes of some such party too but the end loser always has been,is and will be the common man.Sad state of affairs indeed.
Maya: The EC is independent of political interference, and as such your comment should have ideally read "how immature our bureaucrats are".
The point that the EC is making is pertinent, as it is basically trying to say that a particular political party cannot be advertised using government money. And hence my suggestion to target only those adverts featuring the Big B and some political monkey, and leave the ones with only Big B alone.
Reddy,no one & nothing in our wonderful country is independent of political interference.
The EC cannot say that any particular political party is being advertised using government money because campaigning for polio is not in any way related to any political party.It's only a public welfare thing.
I reiterate that a person's political view is his own choice.And,if he wishes to wear that choice on his sleeve,it's his problem.I'm sure Mr.Bachchan has enough common sense in him to know that he isn't supposed to endorse any political party during the polio campaign and I've never come across any such thing ever having happened.
Please be advised that even if the Election Commission be appointed by the President on the advice of the Union Cabinet of Ministers, the Union Cabinet has no jurisdiction over the day-to-day functioning of the Commission, and CANNOT dictate what the Commission may do and may not do. That in the past, commissioners chose to be compliant in no way implies that the Commission is for sale. The Commission is as independent of the pressures of the political class as the judiciary.
The point that I am trying to make here is that in their zeal to implement the rules regarding state money being used for election purposes, they are targeting the wrong person and the wrong type of target. Remember that the India Shining campaign was conducted by the NDA government and it was seen by the EC as a type of governmental spending for election purposes. They even went to the extent of ordering the signboards of the Golden Quadrilateral Highway Project to be covered during the campaign period just because it featured the profile of Vajpayee. That too was a public welfare thing, but still..
The intent behind the decision is not being questioned by me; I am questioning whether the logic being applied is pertinent here.
:-))You and I are against the same issue - that of wrongly targeting Mr.Bachchan.It is in our common interest to resolve this issue,no matter what the suggestions or other views we may hold as individuals.
Post a Comment