So You Want to Vote… : The Young India

Kartikey Sehgal

[October 13 is voting day (State Assembly Elections) for Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh]

The voting day for Mumbai, Maharashtra, and wherever that scary phenomenon called elections is occurring is a dry day. Meaning no alcohol. People could have voted when drunk. That chance is lost.

The phenomenon is scary because apparently, if you don’t vote, you are a monster and directly responsible for the country’s misery. You see, before you stopped voting, the country was very rich and prosperous and gold would flow out of many homes.

So what promise would you be voting for for this time. Would you be voting for yourself or the farmer in Vidarbha who is ever ready to commit suicide. Will you vote because that road in your gully, mohalla, or wherever you stay has a pucca road. Does that make you happy. Roads of the real variety have been in existence for at least two to three decades. You should want more from your money that you pay to the government. Let’s hear this conversation between an Indian voter and his/her friend:

Change, no matter how little, is finally happening. Let me be a part of this change by taking part in elections. Hmm… whom should I vote for? This one has two corruption cases lesser than this other one. But then he was involved in a molestation case… but it was alleged and so that makes him look a bit better. My phone’s ringing… my friend from the developed world…it’s been long.

Friend: Hi there, just wanted to tell you that you must vote.

Voter: Of course, I am voting. But help me out, between a guy under whom sale of girls for prostitution has flourished and another one who is involved in abduction and forceful conversion whom should you choose?

Friend: Come on, no riddles now. Think of these things later, after voting. Anyway, I’ll have to ask my dad for such questions.

Voter: Let it be. What’s your plan for now. Having fun?

Friend: I think I’ll use the sidewalk to any of the several gardens or hit any of the numerous public libraries and vent my anger on the government. We are the same, right? We share the same fruits of democracy!

Voter: Umm… okay.

Friend: You too will go to a public garden? Or a library? I hope at least your government has enough public drinking water sources… we feel we are at least 2-3 less in our area.

Voter: …

Friend: Do you like to take rides in local trains? Just for fun, just to see the city around you?… click…

I must keep the phone down now. I’ll tell her that the network was bad.

……

Voting is an easy way to abdicate responsibility. ‘I did my bit. Ho gaya.’ It is like a forced duty. Not good for the soul. The will to vote should be a self will. It’s okay if you are quality conscious and don’t vote.

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The Young India

So You Want to Vote…

on October 11, 2009

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