Further ethnographic research into this startling finding (which goes against trends in Western states) has revealed that these very same voters who think voting is important, also believe that politicians and their world of politics is demonic, corrupt and violent. But they refuse to let their scepticism about politicians colour their own political participation, which they see as essential to a functioning democracy. They see their own role as voters precisely as holding politicians to account at election time and thereby fulfilling their duty as citizens in maintaining a robust and functioning system. Like the disrespect and near anarchy of cartoons, elections are themselves carnivalesque, reversing for a day the status quo as the powerful have to come begging for votes (there are some wonderful election related cartoons in the same textbooks). On Election Day, uniquely in public life, regardless of caste, wealth, gender or any other marker of social distinction, all voters are treated equally and each vote has equal value. No wonder then that elections have come to be regarded as sacrosanct. Through their participation, people assert the importance of the role of the electorate to the democratic process, their ability to hold the powerful to account, and above all to show their commitment to democracy. They wave their freshly inked fingers at the hubris of the politicians, much as the cartoonists wield their pens.
Thus, those MPs and ministers supporting the removal of all political cartoons on the grounds that they may undermine young minds' respect for politicians and democracy need to pause before wrongly conflating democracy with politicians. The truth of the matter is that Indian citizens are enthusiastic supporters of democracy while remaining clear-eyed about the venality of politicians. Those worried parliamentarians can rest easy, for the children of India are likely to retain their faith in democracy, just as their parents have done, and more likely to do so if exposed to cartoons and top notch text books. Whether they will respect politicians more than their parents is of course another matter, especially if politicians insist on rendering themselves absurd through over-reaction. Perhaps it is time that those stridently insecure parliamentarians learn that respect is earned not taught. Heeding the lessons of political satire is a good place to start.