I was very optimistic about the ongoing general elections in India. And why shouldn’t I be? This was the first time, the hyped Indian youth was out to change something. People of (somewhat) my age group (18-35) formed the biggest elector group this time (65% of the total of 700 million electors). I really thought we will see youth go out and vote in huge numbers. I thought we will see a revolution of sorts in this election and our leaders will know for future that action speak louder than mere words. I really expected we will witness mass awakening this time after the numerous terror attacks, dirty politics that we have seen in past few years.

But nothing like that happened. take for example the two prime metros, Mumbai and Delhi.

What do you expect from a city and its residents who were bruising with an unprecedented terror attack just a few months back? The city was thirsty for blood of every politician, was talking of revolution, calling for total change in system, demanding security assurances and what not. You really expect that when time comes, they will really teach their leaders a good lesson. But what happens. An unbelievably low voter turnout of 44%.
Where is all the anger that filled the streets of Mumbai in November? When the time came to convert your words into action, nobody showed up, much like our politicians! When you yourself are doing this, let em tell you, you have no right what so ever to be crying about the state of your country, city or state for the next five years. Why? Because you dint do nothing to earn yourself that right. Before asking what this country does for you, think of what you have done for this country. Forget everything, you could not give even 10 minutes of your precious time on a public holiday when this great nation demanded. You people are just good for nothing.

Oh and dil walo ki dilli ke to kya kehne. Yaha itne dilwale rehte hain ki all of them preferred to stay inside and spend some quality time with their family and friends. Who cares about voting anyway. A 52% voter turnout is a proof of that. And to my surprise, some officials congratulated Delhi for coming out in “huge numbers” in this scorching heat to vote. Excuse me? Huge numbers? Please come again? Half the people did not vote, how can they be huge numbers? If you think there was no worthy candidate you could have voted for even after considering the independents, you could have voted using 49-O.

Reason? The reason is simple. We Indians just forget things too quickly. Whenever something happens, we being the most emotional of Homo sapiens alive on this planet, react to it at the highest levels there can be, but after sometime we forget everything. That is what our politicians thrive on. Our bad memory. We Indians have a tyical attitude of who cares! And this thing bites us back until we are again running for blood before forgetting and forgiving the guilty. its a vicious circle.

The rest of the country is not far ahead of Delhi and Mumbai in voter turnouts. There is no remarkable contrast between these two metros and the rest of the country.
Anyway, there is just one more phase to on 13th May and I really hope that we see better voting in that phase.

And oh, just for the record I voted using 49-O this time too, like I did last time in Delhi legislative elections 2008. this time the going was a lor more easy and the officials there had an idea that something of this kind exists. I was asked to sign an application (not required by the way), and sign on the voter list in the remarks section saying that “I refuse to vote”. They also took my phone number so that they can call me if they need me to complete any documents.

Another thing I liked was that this time there were 850 voter from Delhi alone who voted using 49-O! Quite a high number. Unlike last time, I personally came in contact with people who voted using 49-O. And I believe I have played some role in popularizing it,in Delhi, atleast (whether for good or bad I dont know).

And I am proud, that I do not vote for any politician even after knowing that my vote makes no effect on the outcome of the elections. Why? Read this and this.

Also I have a funny incident to share which happened with my mother who was on election duty at a polling station as first election officer.
This little and funny incident shows how more and more people are getting to know about 49-0 and actually using it to register a token protest. It also shows the mentality of our parents, that they think it is a waste of your vote and it is better if you do not come to vote at all if you want to vote via 49-0. When the first time I voted 49-0 in Delhi elections last year, my mother was critical of my way of using/wasting of vote, before and after I cast my vote. general elections were no different.

My mother was the first polling officer at this polling booth yesterday in the 4th phase of the India general elections 2009.
In comes a dude and he says he wants to use his “special right,49-0 to cast his vote (she doesnt actually remember if he actually used the term 49-0 or not”. As my mother already knew about 49-0, this was going to be relatively easy for this dude as atleast someone(my mother) had an idea that something like this exists. But surprisingly, the presiding officer (also a female)there on duty also knew about this.

PO=Presiding Officer
MM=My mummy
D=Dude

PO and MM: “haan aisi cheez hoti to hai. Beta, you can vote
.
D: (to himself) thank god. atleast these oldies are intelligent enough to know this exists. *happy*

PO: “but beta ye to aap apna vote kharab kar rahe ho, aise vote dene se kuch nahi hoga. What do you think aise vote waste karke kiska fayda hoga? Isse to acha hai ki aap vote dene nahi aate…….blah blah blah…the lecture continues for some time…..

D: ” no, sitting at home is a different thing. I am ACTUALLY voting here. just that I am giving my vote by the way of 49-0. It is my right to vote and I WILL vote 49-0. (as if to say YOU_CANT_STOP_ME )

PO: “okay go ahead (thinking that this youngistan ka bacha to maanane wala nahi, khoon garam hai, samjhane ka koi fayda nahi <just like my mother> )

MM (to PO, in low voice):”madam, main kya bolu, mera to beta khud yahi kar ke ata hai.

PO (to MM,whispers): “karke to mera beta bhi yahi ata hai”.

and both the ladies went ROTFL.