Change beyond Chillar !

Change seems to be the most appealing 21st century idea in our society. Though we have learnt and heard repeatedly that change is disliked by the majority and change always faces unbeatable resistance, facts around us seem to project the contrary. 

History presents change to us as a phenomenon associated with the passing of thousands of years, war, disaster or fall of regimes. But today change has taken a new and powerful form all together. A form that has been upheld by technological growth, media and most importantly youth. We have seen this very change electing to power the first African American President in the world's largest superpower which allowed Blacks to vote only less than 50 years before.

Barack Obama is serving his second term as Commander in Chief of the world's most powerful democracy presiding over a nation that oppressed his forefathers less than a century ago. Today he is regarded as the world's most powerful man and a true American hero by one and all around the world. Looking back at his campaign to understand what brought about the historic election of a black President, we will clearly see it wasn't any revolutionary event, definitely not a war and as a matter of fact not an eventual happening over time. It was simply a brilliant change mantra he believed in, propagated, marketed and clung on right throughout. "Change we can believe in" and "Vote for change" became very popular brands being used on t-shirts, caps, wristbands, shoes, plates and almost everywhere.  It was the perfect branding strategy. We do not know if they really understood what the change they sought but the whole idea of showing solidarity to a mass movement that chanted "change" and showed rebellious commitment to its manifesto was alluring and exciting to the people; especially the youth.

Talking about youth, India has been ranked as one of the youngest countries in the world with more than 50 percent of its population below the age of 30. It is said the 2014 elections registered up to 150 million first time voters. It was doubtless that most of these new voters would be eager to make difference and will quickly declare allegiance to the change movement. In the recent past we have seen plenty of change movements.  The biggest one being the Anna Hazare led Lokpal movement which became popular among the women, working middle class, bureaucrats and students who were for a long time silent in the nation's political process. 

The so called Gandhian movement led by Team Anna for a corruption free India, saw colorful and eager participants in bike rallies, social media debates, PR campaigns and even a strip tease courtesy Poonam Pandey.

The Aam Aadmi Party leveraged the appeal towards change by asking voters to elect the broomstick that would cleanse the scam-struck national political scene but having attracted support from movie stars and socialites probably didn't make everybody feel Aam enough. 

 

Self proclaimed national savior Narendra Modi with mind-blowing marketing campaigns and promotions encouraged the public to vote for change and believe that the NaMo chant is what the nation needs. Though this repeated promise of making India like Gujarat was slightly terrifying for those who remember the Godhra incidents and Gujarat riots, he managed to create a well planned virus that challenged the Obama campaign and dethroned the Indian National Congress.

The effect of this change is much more than one expects. This change overwhelms the conservationists, relieves the transgenders, ignores the tribals, gives hope to the poor, excites the modern educated youth, confuses the middle class and balances the spirits of our diversity.