Bangalore:
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VOTE A PITY: This voter booth in Bangalore had more officials than voters. Jaago Re aims to get young citizens to wake up to their rights and make a beeline for the booths |
So, what is it that motivates three young people to join a campaign like Jaago Re! One Billion Votes?
Suman Ramachandra (22), outreach coordinator of the campaign, says, "In India, as we know, it is not easy for every individual to be a part of politics. The Jaago Re campaign believes in the power of the youth of this country and wants young people to register themselves as voters."
For Suman, this is the first and fundamental step to be a part of the political process.
Jasmine Shah (27), campaign coordinator, says, "We, the youth of India, pride ourselves on our competitive spirit, but when it comes to today's harsh political realities, most of us despair. Here is our chance to change the system."
Deepthi Nathala (22), planning associate, reveals that she has always wanted to work in public administration.
"I want to contribute to my country. The Jaago Re campaign has provided me the right platform."
Suman, Deepthi and Jasmine epitomise the youth of India. Educated and articulate, they are clear about what they want and how they will achieve their goals.
Suman graduated from St. Joseph's Evening College and completed his masters degree in mass communication and journalism from Madurai Kamaraj University. Jasmine completed his B.Tech and M.Tech in mechanical engineering from IIT Madras in 2004. Deepthi graduated from IIT Madras in 2007, with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. While the Jaago Re! One Billion Votes campaign is handling the logistics of enabling people to vote, what about the fact that a lot of people don't want to vote because they are fed up with the whole morass of corruption?
Jasmine says that people who trot out such excuses put him off. "This is a typical Indian response for staying out of the system. At a personal level, I believe it is our failure as a society that the system has degenerated so much," he says.
Suman admits to the problem. "I have met such people, and you cannot blame them for being so cynical. But the only way out is by struggling constantly to bring the change we desire," he explains.
Deepthi says, "I have travelled across many states and I have met innumerable college students. Let me tell you that none of them said they do not want to vote."
It is the commitment and the hard work of people like Deepthi, Suman and Jasmine that reaffirms the faith of the brave souls who have launched the campaign. Here's wishing them luck.
What's Jaago Re?
Jaago Re is a non-partisan campaign spearheaded by the Bangalore-based NGO Janaagraha. Its aim is to inspire young people across India to pledge to vote. Jaago Re hopes to get a billion voters to the poll booths for the Lok Sabha elections due early-2009. Its website (www.jaagore.com) helps those who sign up get updates on their voter registration status. Jaago Re also sends out voting and election-related news, and reminders on election day. MiD DAY is happy to support this initiative, and will keep you posted about all the campaign action.
For details on Jaago Re, go toSitehttp://www.jaagore.com/Emailoutreach@jaagore.comPhone080 4092 6120 / 121 / 122
