Selfies go viral on Facebook

First-time voters say it is a moment of pride to show to the world that they are part of the largest democratic process

May 08, 2014 09:27 pm | Updated May 23, 2016 04:05 pm IST - VISAKHAPATNAM:

For the last 40 days, the country has been witnessing a raging debate on pre-poll analysis, campaign strategies, candidates’ profiles, and manifestos of political parties.

And one common platform used is the Facebook.

But after conclusion of elections in the Seemandhra region on Wednesday, Facebookers in the city have shifted gears. Most of them, especially the first-time voters, have gone busy uploading their selfies with the inked finger to prove that they have voted.

And why not, it was a proud moment and we would like to show that we were part of the process of installing a new government in the largest democracy in the world, said Deeptisri, a second-year CSE student.

For the young minds, the Facebook is the platform to express their ideas as well as the forum to vent their ire. But now, it is all about their selfies and that indelible ink that mark their fingers.

For almost four weeks, I engaged myself in heated debate on who should form the government and what should be the area of focus, said Seshank, a final-year management student.

“We almost created our own manifesto. We talked about job opportunities, health requirements, education, and even how to get hold of the growing inflation. And the most beautiful thing in our democracy is that every one, beyond the age of 18, can feel proud to be part of the process of electing the government,” he said.

While the Facebook has been an intellectual forum for many, for others it is just a platform to stay in touch with people.

“I have uploaded my selfie in my profile and received over 600 likes. And some to them are from other countries. Many even asked me about the ink mark on my finger and I was swollen with pride to explain the democratic election process in our country,” said Manogna, a fresh engineering graduate.

It is not only the younger generation who have gone viral on the Facebook with their selfies, even the older ones have.

“It is something that the world should know,” said D. Ramprasad, a software professional.

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