For once it's not the politicians who've let us down, but the aam aadmi, the voter in Mumbai who has let down the system. The people laughing the most now are politicians like Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who dismissed angry protesters after 26/11 as 'lipstick wearing socialites' , saying these people are irrelevant as they don't  bother to participate in the political process.

Sadly, nearly 6 months later, he seems to have been proved right.

Ironically, this came in the midst of a media blitz....from TV ads to the web, NGOs, Citizens' groups, there was a concerted movement to get people to 'shut up and vote'. The failure of this, not just in Mumbai but in Bangalore as well, is a collective failure of the urban voter.

Divya Salaskar, the articulate daughter of Vijay Salaskar, who died on 26/11 had this to say...."we can vote for reality shows, but not for our politicians."

Yes, there are those who blame it on the candidates and say the choice available didn't inspire them to vote...but it's clearly a lame excuse. Contrast this to pockets of rural India, where you see long queues at polling booths despite the sweltering heat...here long weekends aren't an option and the Vote- their one chance to feel truly empowered.

Voting is not just our right, but also a duty. For those who don't realise its value, all that's needed is a visit to our not so friendly neighbour, Pakistan. As its democracy is on the verge of disintegrating, its notoriously uninvolved elite,  has woken up to the fact that a Vote, if a Taliban regime ever takes over, will be a luxury more coveted than the latest Birkin bag.  Despite its failings, India's democracy is something we need to celebrate and participate in, not watch from the sidelines.

For once the heroes of the week were our film stars. From Aamir Khan who flew 48 hours on a transatlantic flight from Disneyland to vote, Shahrukh Khan who may have appreciated the respite from the IPL and the Bachchan clan, everyone who mattered in Bollywood voted. Sadly, their fans didn't follow. For all those who lament the absence of an Obama in Indian politics, take a cue from his line....'BE THE CHANGE'. If the urban voter forfeits his right to vote, he forfeits his right to complain.