Winning by scooties

Free Thinker *

Third pledge in the election manifesto of a National Party contemplates – ‘Scooty will be given to the meritorious college going girls of the State’. Though frivolous and populist it may turn out to be a winning idea. Understanding the power of women in our society is like getting the key to success in public life.

Our young women per se are extremely courageous just like their mothers and grandmothers. The only difference is, young girls have more energy. If you can enthuse them and garner their support your chance of winning is pretty high.

The Party might have hired or borrowed or even copied the idea of Scooty from late Amma of Tamil Nadu. This idea may click here because of certain obvious reasons. Most of the college going girls in the State are commuting either by bicycles or autos or buses or on foot. Though in the city areas the number of Scooty driving college girls is increasing, cycle riders and walkers are still in sizable number.

In order to win the confidence of our young girls (voters) the Party which has promised the Scooties may now start bringing Scooties from the dealers and manufacturers. A great display of Scooties will certainly help in the hustings, just like displaying the prizes for Tombola or Lottery before the game.

However in the market there a good number of Scooties; I mean varieties. The price range is also different. Honda Activa is above 55 thousand rupees , Suzuki Access is 64 thousand, Aprilia SR is 71 thousand, Yamaha Ray ZR is 54 thousand, Piaggio Vespa is 73 thousand, TVS Pep is 51 thousand, Honda Dio is 54 thousand, Yamaha Fascimo is 56 thousand, Honda Grezia is 62 thousand , Hero Duet is 48 thousand, TVS Jupiter is 61 thousand so on .

We really don’t know which Scooty is going to be given to our girls. But a promise is a promise, that too from a National Party President. Once they come back to power they are supposed to fulfil this promise.

At the first glance, I wanted to oppose the idea of Scooty. Later, I realise the powerful message it carries. Scooty is just a symbol of encouragement; but the real content of the promise is that – each girl in the college must do well to move ahead and do something in life , in this male dominated society. Once you have a good education you can do a whole lot of things.

Scooty is just an inducement to do better in their studies. Whether it is in Humanities, Science, Engineering, Medicine, Commerce or any field she has to do well. When a woman is empowered a family is empowered; when the family is empowered the society is empowered and once the society is empowered the whole Nation is empowered.

A mother is amused to hear about this Scooty offer because she promised her daughter a Scooty if she gets first class in her 12 State board exam. The mother is hundred per cent sure her daughter is going to do extremely well. If the next Government gives her daughter a Scooty that will save her 60 thousand or so; she may use it for some other purpose.

This idea of doling out Scooties to the meritorious college girls is vague. Who are meritorious girls – those who have got first class or 80 per cent or only the toppers ? The scoring pattern in Science, Humanities, Commerce or any other stream is different. How the criteria is going to be fixed.

Will it depend on the availability of fund ? If there is no fund – will it be case of ‘none found suitable!’

If I remember correctly the first poll promise relating to Scooty was started in Tamil Nadu by late Ms Jayalalitha ji ; perhaps she promised 50 per cent subsidy for women in buying scooters or mopeds. I really don’t know whether it was fully or partially implemented in Tamil Nadu when AIADMK was in power. Then the story of Scooty went viral in Bihar, Delhi, UP and now in Manipur.

Purchase Scooty as many as you can and display in your Constituencies. Simply tell the college girls that ‘these are yours after my victory’. You have a fair chance of winning. If you can display hundreds if not thousands, you can instil confidence in the young minds.

My assessment is very simple - you have 500 dedicated girls as your staunch supporters, you chance of victory is immense.

In the Manifesto itself, it would have been suggested that the fuel of these Scooties shall be filled by the MLAs concerned.

Local area development fund of the elected MLAs may be used for such a noble cause. Women empowerment is also part of the development plank. MLAs should be happy and feel proud to fill the gas of the Scooties of their meritorious girls in their respective Constituencies.

For me the most inquisitive of all is the “FO-FO train” ; it reminds me of the “Hop-on and Hop-off” London Bus Tours. FO- FO is going to be a game changer in terms of our tourism and economy just like our train to Burma.