Success for Protest

Success For Protest

Whenever there is a “Success For Protest”, it gives a sense of accomplishment. And if the “protest” is for a greater cause, this “sense” increases manifold, transcending the boundaries of satisfaction that is associated with self-gratification or ego-satiation.

The reason for this post of mine is a decision arrived at and being implemented with immediate effect as well.

My valued readers must be aware of a blog of mine, “Right of Right”. It was a result of a thought, given my disillusionment with the electioneering process and which furthermore forced me to stay put in my house on the day Kolkata went to vote for the Lok Sabha polls on 13th Of May, 2009. The need that I felt for the incorporation of a “None of the Above Option” button in the EVM’s was later on vindicated, as far as the ethos behind it was involved, by the existence of Rule 49(O) of the Constitution—effectively the Right to exercise a “no vote” (which I came to know of after the birth of the thought).
Today, as reported in the Times of India (dt.13.10.09), Pune I find an acceptance for my idea, by the incorporation of a “No Vote” button as a protest vote, verbatim as “None of the Above Option” which they have abbreviated as NOTA, in the EVM’s for the Maharashtra Assembly Polls which is at the moment underway today, the 13th October,2009. That is, exactly five months after the day Kolkata voted for the Lok Sabha and I voiced my protest and also the way to combat the malady. This shows (quite unprecedented!) that the people involved in the process and the ones who throng the corridors of power and have the final say on such matters, really want to bring about whatever little improvement that can be brought about.

I don’t proclaim that it was I and only I, who came up with this idea as I am sure that many more like-minded fellow citizens feel and felt the same way and are thus instrumental in bringing about the welcome change. Such things require a collective push.

But yes, I am happy that this “Protest” of mine has met with “Success”.

This will definitely help our “Democracy” to inch a bit closer to the real “Democracy”. Henceforth, people like me, will throng the election booth even if it is for the sake of lodging a “protest vote”, in the absence of any acceptable candidate. Of course, that depends on the extension of the same decision to the subsequent Assembly Polls all over India and also in the Lok Sabha Polls.
And yes, this decision of incorporating the “No Vote” button has warmed the cockles of my heart, filled it up with a sense of achievement for having thought-of something worthwhile which will touch the lives in the long run of “ALL”. This is a self-confirmation for having done something, however minuscule, and thereby justify and honour to some extent my existence on this earth.

This also proves that we all should shed the feeling of “What’s the use?” when faced with happenings worth protesting. Engulfed with a feeling of futility for protest we end up being inactive. Maybe at first one will not be heeded to, but if one persists with it and has the intentions of sincerest variety, ultimately it will be “OF USE”.
Furthermore, our job is to go about doing our bit and leave the outcome on “Time”. We should be and are responsible for things in our hand, instead of things that depends on others. If we keep on saying “they won’t do anything about it, so we won’t protest”, then we behave as irresponsible citizens. How can we expect others to act if we ourselves don’t?

So I thank from the bottom of my heart for accepting my proposal as also of all other fellow citizens. This will really empower us with the “Right of Right” to reject the candidates if none of them is acceptable instead of choosing a person by default, a case of bad person among the worse being better, merely for exercising our franchise. It will be a “choice of choice” and the percentage of voting will increase exponentially and the indifference for the process will decrease likewise.

I sincerely hope that many more such suggestions will be given a serious thought. Together we can all make a difference. And if I am a sharp critic of the establishment, I shall be the first one to applaud and appreciate the efforts made towards creating a better tomorrow.

Sushmita Mukherjee,
13th October,2009