– Khan Tahir
Democracy is a form of governance where individuals are counted, not weighed.
When individuals start being weighed (in the name of religion), it becomes essential for us to utilize democracy and vote. Remember, not voting isn’t protest; it’s submission. If we don’t vote, we’re determining the future of our coming generations without any effort, without any struggle, or the camel is not bound and the reliance is on Allah, which is incorrect.
We must first determine which party is right for us, the one that doesn’t discriminate between Hindus and Muslims, the party that speaks above the Shamshan and Qabristan narrative, that doesn’t prioritize Mandir over mosques. We need to vote for the party that works for our education, our employment, that grants us the freedom provided by Indian laws. We want a government whose leadership allows us to travel fearlessly, where our sisters can pursue education even if they wear a veil, where we can perform prayers peacefully.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in Delhi, 65.10% of people voted, but this percentage decreased to 60.60% in 2019. According to reports, the highest number of young voters are in Delhi, with a percentage of 45.15%. Hence, there’s an appeal from our Delhi citizens, especially the youth, to vote this time. Let’s not have a situation where we don’t vote this time and are deprived of the right to vote next time. Bad officials are elected by good citizens who don’t vote. Remember, our government is not formed by the majority, but by the majority that participates in the election. The power of the ballot is greater than the bullet. Its correct usage is a protest against past injustices, a voice against ongoing violence, and a means to safeguard the future of our coming generations.
