Busy Weekend with SmartVote and Loksatta

After a long time, I was so much busy on a weekend, that too in Bangalore :-)
Attended Dr. Meenakshi's Election Campaign Meeting at Sumir's house. Dr. Meenakshi is contesting at the Loksatta Ticket from ward# 35 Aramane Nagar.
I request all the readers of my blog to spread about Dr. Meenakshi and Loksatta whomever they know in Aramane Nagara.
Got to talk to her for quite a long time, and yes it is sure that if she gets it, she is gonna give the best of services to the ward.

Then, met there SmartVote's Sumir, and he asked me to campaign for SmartVote on Sunday Morning door-to-door and I agreed.
Sunday, 8:30 AM, behind Sukhsagar, and I was there. And then started door-to-door campaign. We went in pairs and covered one cross (a street) and spread the "To Vote" word door-to-door.
SmartVote has done a great job in making a database of Voters of Bangalore and created a very good search interface, where you can search your name based on your Name, a substring from the name, door-num or any field. We all know that there are lot of names mis-spelt, making it difficult to even search. SMART VOTE made it easy, just give it a try once. Choose your ward and search name, if not found, try with a part of your name.
SmartVote has gone a step further in this "To Vote" campaign. There is a debate organized on this Sunday, March 21st, 4:00 PM @ NGV Club, where all the contestants from the Koramangala ward# 151 will be coming and citizens can listen to them and ask questions. This would help them make a better choice among all the candidates.

It was quite a good experience, talking to people and spreading the importance of Vote.

Again, would like to request all of you to please VOTE, that's the only chance to intiate some change, the change you wish to see, yes stand-up, make a choice and VOTE. Your vote counts. A corporator choosen will be the one who is going to listen to your day-to-day issues and we all Bangaloreans will make sure that its well taken care. Yes, together we can, we will make a difference.

Don't Forget, March 28th, BBMP Elections, go and VOTE, and Make a difference.

Shame on Bangaloreans - Keep it up

Its really a matter of personal shame, just 50% around voter turnout in Bangalore.
I voted for the first time yesterday, the polling booth was very much near to my house, I voted, then I went again with 3-4 more close friends, we searched their names in the electoral list and they also voted there. I waited outside till they came out, was feeling very happy looking at the people outside in the queue. All kinds of people coming out there to exercise their franchise, very well-dressed, not-so-well-dressed, rich, poor, middle-class, physically disabled, college going, elderly folks, youngsters, corporates, everyone. I was feeling very good that people are taking an active step towards the responsibility. I was feeling somewhere in my heart that if this time the voter turnout goes to 65-70%, it would be so great of Youths, but it actually felt me very sad and shameful when I got to know that only 50% people have casted their vote.
I am getting no words for those who were enjoying sitting/relaxing at their home, roaming or just ignoring. Today's young generation out of which those who belong to corporate crowd, all days sit in AC buildings, roam around in luxury AC cars, eat the best of food, and pay 30% of their hard-earned money in taxes. Isn't it their responsibility to be a part of formation of world's largest democracy and make sure that the money is wisely spent?

- I would like to ask all of them who visits pubs and bars, have they casted their vote? If not, if next time there are any attacks on pub, you have no right to protest or blame anyone for it, you yourself are responsible.
- I would like to ask all of them who sent chaddi as a part of pink-chaddi campaign, did they vote?
- I would like to ask all who want freedom expressing their love, did you vote?
- I would like to ask girls who want to wear jeans and noodle straps, did you vote?
- I would like to ask all who want a good nightlife in bangalore, did you vote?
- I would like to ask all who want no more bomb-blasts, did you vote?
- I would like to ask all who want good roads, good public transport, and uninterrupted electricity supply and water, did you vote?
- I would like to ask all who are victim of reservation/quota or those who are not legitimate benefit of reservation, did you vote?

I think, answer to most of the questions will again be "NO" 51 or more %.

Are government ne chutti bhi diya tha, kya kiya uska, kha gaye kya, kya haalat hai yaar !!!

No worries, probably its actually not at all your fault who didn't vote. I amy be just over-reacting because I cannot be habitual of all these non-governance, let the people be habitual of being in dirt and jungle-raj.
Happy jungle-raaj and dirt to all of you who didn't vote. Keep up the good work.

But I feel to reserve some space on my blog-post to say a word of Thanks to all who exercised their franchise. Things doesn't end here for you too here, there is much more to do, its a start for a better India, better surroudings, better us and better generations to come. You also have to act on behalf of for your good and dear friends who didnt' vote.

Anyways, I end up here itself with a little of happiness that I voted for the first time, I voted for a change.

JAI HIND.

Jab Jaago Tab Savera magar nahi Jaage to Ghana Andhera

Asato Ma Sad Gamaya;
Tamaso Ma Joytir Gamaya;
Mrityor Ma Amritam Gamaya;
Om Shantihi Shantihi Shantihi.

Means:
From the untruth, lead us to the Truth;
From darkness, lead us unto Light;
From death, lead us to Immortality;
Om peace, peace, peace.

I would like to ask each of you -

• Don't you feel bad when you pay one third of your hard-earned money to the government as taxes and you can't even get a safe and secure surrounding, let alone the comfort and luxury?
• Don't you feel helpless when RTO charges the maximum premium compared to anywhere in India but you don't have just-the-good roads to drive on?
• Don't you feel insecure and unsafe when religious places are attacked and minorities are being killed, burnt alive?
• Don't you feel sick of governance when these miscreants are out-of-range from law's so-called long hands?
• Don't you feel frustrated of same statements - "Law will take its own course" & "will not allow people to take law into their hands" and blah blah.
• Don't you still feel slave when you need permission for expressing love and enjoying life?
• Don't you feel cheated when promises are not fulfilled year after year, term after term when we have completed more than 60 years of our own democratic rule?
• Don't you feel enough of internal terrorist organizations like MNS, Ram Sene, Bajrang Dal, Durga Sena, Shiv Sena, SIMI and what not? We really need not bother about external threats, those are actually very minute in front of these.
• Don't you feel pestered of bribe and chai-paani in every government act?
• Don't you feel outcaste when politicians do caste based, region based, religion based vote policy?
• Don't you feel ashamed when we are still struggling with quota-factor, how can we progress towards developed nation?
• Don't you feel strange when prices once gone up don't come down inspite of inflation rate being 4 times low?
• Don't you feel wondering when we think all religion as one but still a lot of riots, blood bath and enmity between citizens?
• Don't you feel offended when people with criminal records, tainted background of murders and other heinous charges, contest elections and win also?
• Don't you feel like praising Americans when they seem to be deserving of developed nation?
• Don't you feel settling in America sometimes looking for a better lifestyle, atleast they don't differentiate humans?
• Don't you feel impossible to become a Developed nation and economically independent?
• Don't you feel securing the environment for the generations to come?

If you agree with atleast some of the statements even mentioned above,
Don't you think, its time to act?
Don't you think, its time to take charge?
Don't you think, its time to understand the responsiblity?
Don't you think, its time to participate?
Don't you think, its time to take a step?
Don't you think, its time to do your bit of effort?
Don't you think, its time to come forward?
Don't you think, its time to get inspired?
Don't you think, its time to get motivated?
Don't you think, its time to revolt?
Don't you think, its time to start another revolution?

And,
Don't you think, its time to VOTE?

We have to vote, we have to show them that we are not going to tolerate any more, common man has the power to change the mandate if government is not citizen friendly. Lets take a first step, become a part of it, and things will move on slowly. Its not only about a good governance, its also about responsible opposition, so think and select your candidate and VOTE.
Please come forward, enroll yourself in the electoral list of your current constituency, take part in Indian Political League 2009 in coming March'09.

Its made very simple, Election commission has opened up "Voters Facilitation Centres" in various places with timings suitable for working people.
"Citizens can approach the Centres for enrolling names to the voters’ list, rectifying errors in the list and also seek electoral photo identity cards. The service will be provided within 10 days. The Centres will function till March 31, 2009. They will be open between 8 am and 12 noon, between 4 pm and 8 pm on all days except Mondays. On Sunday, they will be open between 10 am and 8 pm. "

The list of these centres are given in

http://ceokarnataka.kar.nic.in/VFC.pdf

Jaago India Jaago, iske pehle ki time nikal jaye and hum dekhte reh jaye.

Issued in public interest by:
Jaago India Movement
(A Jaago India Movement Initiative)