You know what they say about the morning after the night before? The haze and daze that greet you, can either fill you with heady euphoria or deep shame. The raunchy boudoir of politics with strange bed partners creates its own thrills and frissons. I am giddy with hope and optimism now, after the astonishing numbers of the world’s biggest elections rolled in earlier this week.
Never have I felt as proud to be Indian. To have lived long enough to witness a vibrant democracy in action -- unfettered and unafraid of consequences. Who would have thought??? Who would have dared to dream that such an unexpected result would finally put an end to ten years of repression? Well.
.. I exaggerate.
And have spoken too soon. But even the possibility of coming this close to achieving partial victory, had seemed remote till the counting started early on Tuesday morning. This is not the time to gloat or dance on graves.
But it is certainly the time to allow ourselves much needed exultation...
to exhale again...
to dream again! The 20.4 crore Muslims of India are the biggest winners of this election. Their faith in the Constitution and its principles has been restored.
After living in fear of complete marginalisation for a decade and more, our Muslim co-citizens must be heaving a sigh of relief. Their lives and livelihoods are safe, regardless of who forms the next government. These legitimate fears were deliberately ignored and downplayed as the BJP bosses went ahead with their brand of agg.