The Stains Are Good

Voting Right : The Stains Are Good

Yesterday, my daughter asked me, “Mom, why there’s a holiday to our school today?”

I said , “Because it’s an election day in Maharashtra.  ”

“What is election?”

“Just like you have monitor in your class, we are going to elect one for our state. We will get a line with blue ink on our finger after voting. But the stains are good. ”

She was so excited to hear that , “I will also come for voting.”

“No. not now. You will be eligible only when you cross 18years”

“Oh ?? then why holiday today? In our class we all are just 8 years old”

She hates holidays except summer and Diwali vacations as she has more friends in her school than society.

“Stupid, your teachers need to go for voting no?”

“Oh… yes.” She went away.

Do you remember one sentence ?

“Democracy is for the people, by the people, and of the people.”

I think, we all loved to write this definition as it was the only simple thing in that bitter subject in school but hated as it was only for the single mark. Beyond that we knew nothing about it at that time.  Isn’t it ?

Then we grew up to that certain level of age when we were excited to get the voter card of our own and vote for the first time in our life.

The photo session for the card and the surname printing on the voting card is itself a different topic for discussion.

Anyways, do you remember your first time voting experience ?

I remember,  I loved that blue stained finger, which gave me a type of feeling like contribution towards country, by just pressing a button.

But giving a vote to the right person ( ? ) was considered as a great deed. 

Since yesterday morning, people over all social media platforms, had taken action to raise awareness about voting activity, many including celebrities changed their profile images showing that proud blue line on finger and smiling face shows that the stains are good.

 

 

 

 

‘Stains are good’  is the essence of all the posts.

Few of my friends insisted me to post a selfie showing that voting sign compulsorily.

I was delighted with the thought that, this year’s voting might have been satisfactory compared to last year.

But today morning while reading the newspaper, I got to know that on an average just 50% voting is done in most cities of Maharashtra.

Oh ! where were the rest 50% of people on election day? 

Imagine, around 50 per cent of those who were eligible, didn’t vote. Definitely a significant proportion that could, in fact, change the outcome of an election.

For those people, the voting is not as exciting or a duty like before. This reduction in voting percentage since last few years,  is really a matter of concern now.

Whether it is a problem of democratic principle or a problem of Governance, don’t know. But either way something is seriously wrong somewhere.

I am clueless, why people don’t vote ?

Maybe they are not interested ? Or

May be they don’t understand enough about the government ? Or

Maybe they feel their vote would be wasted ? Or

Maybe they are relocated ? Or

Maybe they are hospitalized ? Or

Maybe they have lost trust in all the parties ?Or

Maybe they have gone for a picnic, as it was joined holiday with Sunday?Or

Maybe lack of knowledge : nowadays, many people consume information through social media, rather than reading daily newspaper headlines or tuning in to the news channels. Or

May be they don’t trust on today’s media for journalists also.

May be they feel that his/her single vote does not matter ? Or

May be they are homeless? Or

I am not sure whether homeless people, beggars or even prisoners have the right to vote in India.

If you know any law or information about this, please share with us. 

Whatever may be the reason,  the conclusion we get is that, along with political parties, most of the people have lost trust in democracy itself.

It’s like the time have come to change our pledge from India is my country to ‘India is ‘sometimes’ my country.

Once my uncle had said that, “Now our country needs a dictator,  not democracy”. I did not fully agreed to the statement but not disagreed also.

Maybe we need something in between Dictatorship and Democracy, where there would be some strict laws to monitor the work reports of the elected people also.

We are fed up of being victims of their periodic promises and assurances.

In my opinion, a good dictator is better than a bunch of corrupt and  selfish leaders coming to rule in Democracy.

But on the other hand, a strong democracy with good leaders that work for social cause and advancement of the society and nation can be better than a corrupt dictator. Agree ?

So, it all depends on the kind of person/people in power. And that’s the main reason we have to vote.

Governments are not formed only by people who vote, but also by the people who do not vote. Right ?

Voting is our ‘right’ , a duty and responsibility.  And a simple fact that it gives me an opportunity to be part of decision-making.

What’s your opinion? Express your thoughts in the comment box below.

Whether the Stains Are Good or not ?

#votingismyduty or #votingnotrequired ?