I am twenty and finally got my voter ID and am ready to vote on 4th December. “Twenty? What were you doing for the last two years?” might be your question. Well, I have a good list of explanations, like I kept shifting to different cities and stuff. But no, I won’t say that. Honestly, the major reason was politics never interested me. I never tried to understand it either. All I knew was there were different bunches of leaders who deliver fake promises, go about campaigning all the way before elections and disappear to enjoy the pleasures of the money from corruption later. But this time, I made an attempt to read about leaders, parties and politics, got a voter ID card and declared to Papa, “I will be coming along to with you, to vote this time”.
And now I am really excited for the day to come. I can already feel how important a duty I am going to perform. We all call ourselves citizens, demand equal rights and recognition, join movements on social networking sites, unhesitatingly criticize politics and make the evergreen lame statement “nothing can be done, nothing can be changed”.
I have decided to step out of that herd now and make a move. Despite all the socio-political writing I have been into since a while, and joined movements on social media, I am also going to cast my vote this time. Yes, I thought lately, “it’s just one vote, what difference will it make?” However, now I am sure it will. And I appeal to all my fellow citizens, belonging to that herd of people who believe “nothing can be done”, “my vote hardly matters”, “politics is all about corruption”, please make an attempt to read and research a little. Try to be more aware of your rights and duties. Please stop only complaining. As Mahatma Gandhi said “be the change you want to see”, step out of your house, and caste vote. Make a wise choice, don’t just go by what others say. Do your own research, and decide on which candidate you can believe in the most. Perhaps your expectations fail after the elections but it will make you wiser and help you build a better choice the next time.
Don’t stop, be restless, keep voting, reading and participating. I don’t ask you not to be a part of the social media movements and protest marches. But I say don’t only be a part of those things. Vote, its not only your right but also your duty, and it does make as much of a difference as other political involvements.