Centenarian steps out to vote
Pappamma's grandson claims that she had not missed a single chance to vote
By : vidyashree dharmaraj
Update: 2014-09-19 04:20 GMT
Coimbatore: She is all of 100 years and her doubly-bent back and her gnarled fingers reveal her ripe old age. Centenarian Pappamma was brought to the polling booth at Thudiyalur in a van and lifted out of the vehicle by her grandson and his friends.With faltering steps, the frail woman was slowly helped into the polling booth to cast her vote.
"Nallapaidya vottu pottachu (I have cast my vote)," she sighed after pressing the button on the electronic voting machine. Her grandson claimed that she had not missed a single opportunity to vote. However, she did not know that the elections were held to elect a new mayor.
The centenarian feels that she has performed her democratic duty, but the government has failed to do its social responsibilty. Despite several petitions, pleas and applications, she is yet to get her old age pension, she laments. "I have spent over Rs1,000 and have applied several times but I have not got any assistance from the government so far. I live with my grandson who is a daily wage labourer and he takes care of me," said Pappamma who voted at the panchayat union middle school in Thudiyalur.