The Aspiring Class, Social Milieu and the Demand for Empowerment

The Aspiring Class, Social Milieu and the Demand for EmpowermentBy: Amit Bhushan Date: 27th Jul 2015The commercial news media is again starting to go abuzz about the upcoming 'make or break' elections as it likes to fashion nearly every event which is easily foreseeable, so that it manages to ramp up its viewer ship. And 'make or break elections' for whom- the party in power at the centre. As if some earth-shaking development is likely to be unleashed, if the party in centre or at the state wins or loses these polls in a state.
The fact is that elections are about people and the political choices available to them and these get exercised through votes. Instead the commercial news media remains engaged in promoting leadership, by making the elections solely a game of 'big name' leaders rather than policy choices and how it affects people. The election should result in some sort of an understanding on how to run the 'political piece' for which elections were called, rather than just who would run the show. The analyst however like to read/assess the larger 'mood' and try to influence policies basis that, although much of the policy discussions is still dominated by those behind the scene activists and those in commercial news media building waves/canvassing of apparent support or dis-support of policy choices by interpreting them being in the 'interest of the people'.
The commercial news media has recently come up with a new jumla i.e. the aspiring class. It is used to denote the new class of people like the author and other social media writers, who like to comment on public policy and thus attempt to raise questions some of which are of course not liked by the commercial news media which is unable to match up to these while pursuing their campaign. It then tries to portray that such people who get swayed by these sharp shooting questions are just a few while the larger masses do not really get swayed by these questions possibly on account that the questions or understanding is not reaching them as of yet.
This then is actually a reflection on the 'massive', 'multi-faceted' 'multi-polar' and 'aggressive' poll machinery being deployed by the polling parties who are still unable to 'educate' the voters enough about the policy choices and answers of relevance to them.One of the key reasons is because of the lack of the quantum of opportunities being available to 'all' or the majority of voters and prescience of this knowledge amongst voters.
This is actually voter apathy which then guides them to look at 'other' factors rather that policy choices and opportunities being available as they are not expecting much anyways. 'Empowerment' plans like 'Build your Own Toilet' or Education / Healthcare coupons or seeds/fertilizer coupons can be a big game changer if brought into policy discussions. Currently they such subsidies are structured, they actually yield little 'choice' for people and this translates into 'apathy' or 'involvement' with leadership or government.
If people are empowered to exercise choices such as allowing them to use education coupons to either join a government school or to join a private school by possibly using some of their own funds; this would be trigger to ramp up their involvement and bring out actual support. Presently the promotion of caste-ism in the commercial news media can go on since the 'political leaders' ain't rising up to such discussions or policy choices of delivering empowerment to common folks.

 

[Dhruv Bindhani]

The Aspiring Class, Social Milieu and the Demand for EmpowermentBy: Amit Bhushan Date: 27th Jul 2015The commercial news media is again starting to go abuzz about the upcoming 'make or break' elections as it likes to fashion nearly every event which is easily foreseeable, so that it manages to ramp up its viewer ship. And 'make or break elections' for whom- the party in power at the centre. As if some earth-shaking development is likely to be unleashed, if the party in centre or at the state wins or loses these polls in a state.
The fact is that elections are about people and the political choices available to them and these get exercised through votes. Instead the commercial news media remains engaged in promoting leadership, by making the elections solely a game of 'big name' leaders rather than policy choices and how it affects people. The election should result in some sort of an understanding on how to run the 'political piece' for which elections were called, rather than just who would run the show. The analyst however like to read/assess the larger 'mood' and try to influence policies basis that, although much of the policy discussions is still dominated by those behind the scene activists and those in commercial news media building waves/canvassing of apparent support or dis-support of policy choices by interpreting them being in the 'interest of the people'.
The commercial news media has recently come up with a new jumla i.e. the aspiring class. It is used to denote the new class of people like the author and other social media writers, who like to comment on public policy and thus attempt to raise questions some of which are of course not liked by the commercial news media which is unable to match up to these while pursuing their campaign. It then tries to portray that such people who get swayed by these sharp shooting questions are just a few while the larger masses do not really get swayed by these questions possibly on account that the questions or understanding is not reaching them as of yet.
This then is actually a reflection on the 'massive', 'multi-faceted' 'multi-polar' and 'aggressive' poll machinery being deployed by the polling parties who are still unable to 'educate' the voters enough about the policy choices and answers of relevance to them.One of the key reasons is because of the lack of the quantum of opportunities being available to 'all' or the majority of voters and prescience of this knowledge amongst voters.
This is actually voter apathy which then guides them to look at 'other' factors rather that policy choices and opportunities being available as they are not expecting much anyways. 'Empowerment' plans like 'Build your Own Toilet' or Education / Healthcare coupons or seeds/fertilizer coupons can be a big game changer if brought into policy discussions. Currently they such subsidies are structured, they actually yield little 'choice' for people and this translates into 'apathy' or 'involvement' with leadership or government.
If people are empowered to exercise choices such as allowing them to use education coupons to either join a government school or to join a private school by possibly using some of their own funds; this would be trigger to ramp up their involvement and bring out actual support. Presently the promotion of caste-ism in the commercial news media can go on since the 'political leaders' ain't rising up to such discussions or policy choices of delivering empowerment to common folks.

In the often-murky waters of political commentary, this article shines as a beacon of clarity. The writer's writing style is refreshingly direct and remarkably insightful, capable of distilling even the most convoluted political machinations into understandable terms. It's a voice that not only informs but empowers, cutting through partisan rhetoric to focus on tangible realities. The structure is intuitively logical, carefully organizing arguments and evidence in a way that progressively deepens the reader's understanding of the political issue at hand. This thoughtful arrangement allows for a comprehensive grasp of the intricate relationships between policy, power, and people. Furthermore, the exceptional clarity with which the political arguments are articulated is truly commendable. There's no room for misinterpretation; the issues are presented with such transparent precision that the article serves as an essential guide for navigating and understanding today's political environment.

 

[Simran Rai]

Amit Bhushan’s article thoughtfully critiques the current state of political discourse in India, especially the role played by commercial news media in shaping public perception around elections and governance. Rather than focusing on substantive issues such as policy choices or citizen empowerment, the media often sensationalizes elections as “make or break” moments for prominent leaders or parties, thereby reducing democratic engagement to a game of personalities rather than ideas. Bhushan highlights how this focus detracts from the essential purpose of elections: to allow citizens to make informed choices that impact their everyday lives through governance decisions.


The emergence of the so-called “aspiring class”—informed citizens, writers, and thinkers who ask sharp questions through platforms like social media—presents a challenge to this superficial narrative. These individuals often raise critical issues that are overlooked or downplayed in mainstream coverage. Yet, the reach of such discussions remains limited, especially among the wider electorate who may not have access to nuanced policy debates due to factors like media bias or lack of awareness.


Bhushan rightly points out that voter apathy—a lack of engagement or expectations from the political system—is driven largely by the absence of tangible opportunities and policy clarity. When voters do not see direct benefits or empowerment in the form of real choices, such as educational vouchers or flexible subsidies, they tend to rely on identity-based voting rather than performance-based evaluation. Schemes that genuinely give people the power to choose—whether in education, healthcare, or welfare delivery—could be transformative in restoring voter trust and participation.


Ultimately, the article is a call to shift the political conversation from symbolic leadership and polarizing narratives to real empowerment through policy. If political leaders rise to the challenge of offering concrete, choice-driven solutions and if the media begins to amplify these issues instead of personalities, Indian democracy can truly evolve into a system where people—not just parties—are at the center of governance.​