Makeshift Politicians

Celebrities, more often than not, have little connect with the general population they seek to represent from their constituency (“Parachute Politicians”, April 7). Given their popularity, however, they often serve the purpose of swaying votes in favour of the parties they represent. Also, achievers from other fields foraying into politics must be welcomed as they bring with them high standards of merit and diligence which is sadly missing in our political world today. They might inspire other politicians to inculcate the absent good qualities and enhance the level of politics as we know it. NEEHARIKA SINHA, Allahabad While actors, players and other celebrities are master performers in their own fields, joining politics may not always be the right decision. There are a number of celebrity MPs and MLAs in our country but they hardly make any real contribution when it comes to governance or policy-making. In fact, most of them tend to be just decorative pieces in the Upper House, the Rajya Sabha, not even showing up for the proceedings half of the time. Policy making is a very serious matter. It requires expert, experienced and responsible people. Just because someone is famous or has made a mark in a particular field doesn’t qualify him or her to be in charge of running the country. MAHESH KUMAR, Delhi In the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, political parties including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), BJP and Congress have given tickets to several nonpolitical entities to attract more eyeballs. It has to be seen if celebrities can indeed win votes for their parties. But their entrance has definitely made the poll battle more interesting. RAMESH SINGH, Gurgaon Parachute politicians, comprising Bollywood actors, singers, dancers and folk artists who can easily connect with the masses, are in huge

demand these days. Political parties are looking to bank on the mass appeal of these stars with the hope that their fan- following will turn into votes for their respective parties. But politics demands dedication, not fireworks publicity which doesn’t last long. Politicians must have more than mass appeal— they should be able to take decisions and have years of experience. If celebrities start running the nation, the India of our dreams is certainly going to transform into a nightmare.

KANISHKA PATHAK, Jharkhand