Bengaluru: Our votes are not for sale, say Citizens

Bengaluru: While politicians have begun campaigning for the coming elections,  a group of volunteers in the city has begun a campaign for cleaning up the electoral process. The 'Matha Brastacharada Virudda Naavu' (We are against electoral corruption) campaign is receiving  wide response already.

Helping it reach people are influential personalities in society like Nischala Mutt's Nijagunananda Swamiji, advocate, S A Ahmed, student's leader , Chandru, Prof B K Ravi, registrar, Bangalore University, film director, Nagathi halli Chandrashekar, social worker Naga bhushan and others who are sharing messages on voting and its importance and why people must not sell their votes.

Walkathons, open hall meetings, social media campaigns, a missed call campaign and awareness rallies are all being organised and people are being asked to take a pledge before Dr Ambedkar’s statue across the city and state not to accept money for their votes.

Should people give a missed call to the number '99860 73233' they  get a  call back on the importance of their vote and how it could change their lives.So far the campaigners have received  over 3,000 missed calls and people have registered to take this message forward to their near and dear ones in their areas.

Mr S Ramesh, president of he Karnataka State Panchayat Development Officers (PDO) Welfare Association and secretary of the Karnataka State Government Employees' Association explains that that idea is to root out corruption as it is more rampant than usual during elections.

“Ignorant people accept money without realising that it is their future they are about to spoil by voting for money,” regrets Mr Ramesh, adding, “A vote is not only a right, but a crucial factor in  deciding our future,” he notes , adding that a future has to be created where an honest person, who has concrete plans for his state, should be able to contest and win elections and serve people.