Puneri Misal
I fell in love with writing more than 20 years ago and I’m still in love, grappling with the art and craft of writing, wanting to make my pursuits in journalism more effective, more meaningful. I began writing as a hobby, it soon turned into a passion. Every day feels adventurous.
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When celebrities step out to vote, they not only benefit from the media glare but are also seen as making a statement about their commitment to democracy. Politicians as celebrities don't fall in this category as their very existence depends on the votes they get. When they themselves don't exercise this franchise, it is simply inexcusable.
Kalmadi's top lieutenants who were surprised by his absence in Pune on voting day tried to explain that he "must have been very busy" in talks with international delegations on the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Also, that he was expected in Pune but something "beyond his control" must have happened. Still inexcusable, considering that a member of parliament is entitled to 30-odd business class air tickets in a year and with direct Pune-Delhi connectivity, there's little room to hide.
We don't expect much from our politicians anyways and we may perhaps pardon Kalmadi as he never promised that he would vote in every election. He, of course, promised that as chairman of the Indian Olympics Committee he would try to bring the Olympics to Pune.
The point is that even after all the hullabaloo about "voter empowerment" and "responsibilities of a citizen in a democracy", a large section of the urban Indian society remains unconvinced about why it should vote. If there is even a faint impulse to take the trouble, then there are seemingly insurmountable hurdles such as spending hours in trying to locate your name on the voters' list; identifying and then locating the precise polling booth and then spending another few hours on actually voting for a person whom you actually despise as a class. Why should I "waste" my vote on such a person? He does not deserve it, is the logic.
Those blaming the Election Commission for its tardiness and inefficiency are not entirely wrong and yet, there are thousands who criticise without having taken the trouble to get themselves on the list and then confirm it.
This time around, the Election Commission's SMS service worked beautifully- at least in Pune- wherein you sent your full name to a designated number and an instantaneous reply told you your polling booth or "Record not found".
Just as a society's habits and socio-economic profile can be deducedby just examining the garbage it generates, so too can we draw extensive insights about voting behaviour and the character of the people who do/don't vote.
Why do people in slums and rural areas vote in large numbers? The money, booze and "gifts" distributed in the slums on the eve of polling are actually small-change incentives. The reality is that the local corporator/MLA who gets elected again and again is there to help a slum dweller throughout the year. Whether it is giving a helping hand with money during a marriage in the family; helping meet funeral expenses for the poor; assisting with school admissions, ration cards, police harassment, municipal permits for hawking and providing sundry jobs- it's all done by the successful, local politician. In the words of one corporator, "It's a running account where round the year you have to pay, pay and pay." What does the man get in return? He gets valuable votes in such volumes that all the "Leading India" candidates spouting their venom and wisdom in television debates end up losing their deposits. The typical urban Indian politician has risen on the strength of his slum pockets and his career has moved from the municipal corporation to the state assembly and then Parliament.
The polling percentage in rural areas is always far higher than in urban areas because of strong caste loyalties and clan bonding spread over decades and generations. Politicians in rural areas compete fiercely to wrest control over credit societies, self-help groups, cooperative sugar factories, district banks and educational institutions (having set up many of their own) to virtually make and mar the lives of their supporters and opponents. Think of Sharad Pawar who has almost always won by a margin of at least 2.5 lakh votes from the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency after making just one speech on the last day of election campaigning. He not only controls all the rural institutions in Baramati but has also brought industries to this taluka town, good railway connectivity, established the massive Vidya Pratishthan educational complex and an impressive "Baramati Hostel" in Pune for students from Baramati.
Why are you a loser when you don't vote? Ask a veteran voter and you'll realise what all you've missed out. A person who consciously goes out to vote may not show it like a drunkard, but he's somewhat intoxicated with a sense of pride and patriotism. He has taken the trouble of locating and confirming his name on the voters list and has thereby shown character by facing a challenge and surmounting it. No matter what happens to the poll outcome; who wins or loses, our humble voter has earned the satisfaction of a good night's sleep and a clear conscience. Above all, he is also an incorrigible optimist because he believes in the power of his single vote.
In contrast, the person who did not vote, irrespective of his wealth or brilliance,is most likely apathetic, a pessimist and someone who does not believe that he can make a difference to the place he belongs. In short, he's a loser.
People have suggested that "incentives" be introduced by the Election Commission to encourage people to vote. I completely disagree because the incentives that are already there may not be monetary but are meaningful.
I'm fascinated by the violet mark that is put on my finger when I go to vote. For me, it's as precious as the stylised "RK" tattoo on Deepika Padukone's nape.
