“Which political party are you campaigning for?” asked 76-year-old Polachamma, to a group of students who approached her holding placards that read ‘Mark of responsible citizen...your vote, your future.'
“We are not from any party but we are requesting you to vote. Your vote will make a difference,” replied P. Gokulakrishnan, a second-year student of College of Engineering Guindy.
Amid the election fever, students of city colleges are participating in a campaign of a different kind. Knocking on the doors of the neighbourhood slums and residential areas, they are propagating the message on the need to vote.
NSS volunteers of CEG visited residences in Sri Nagar Colony and Kotturpuram, posh residential colonies, recently as part of an awareness campaign on elections. “The students are also visiting the staff quarters of the college, since there are fewer educated people who cast their votes,” says G. Sakthinathan, NSS programme official.
“You have the power to change the situation you are in, we tell them,” says Vimal Roach, a second-year student of B.Com, who participated in the awareness campaign organised by the outreach department of the Loyola College.
Colleges are also organising rallies and street plays to spread the word. “Every vote makes a difference'', they reiterate to local communities. The students of Loyola College have so far campaigned in 22 slums around the campus for two weeks, displaying placards, distributing pamphlets and even having one-on-one interaction with the residents. The students ask voters not to take money offered by political parties. “Some people flared up. Living under difficult circumstances, they questioned why should not they accept money offered,” says Vimal.
The social work department of D.G. Vaishnav College is also planning to organise a similar campaign among the communities living alongside Marina Beach this weekend as part of their Youth Against Corruption programme. “We took up the programme voluntarily since the students have the energy, courage and fire in them to campaign at this crucial point,” said R. Sankara Narayanan, a faculty member.
Colleges such as Guru Nanak conducted street plays. “Think and vote, the students conveyed through the play which we are planning to stage again before elections,” said Marlene Morais, principal, Guru Nanak College.
The Directorate of Collegiate Education has asked all colleges to raise election awareness by conducting rallies. “On April 11, students and teachers from all the City schools and colleges will organise an awareness rally. ,” said Jyothi Kumar, joint director of the department.
The students also inform people on the right to vote for no party under Section 49-O. “We regularly receive updates from the students on elections through messages,” says Madhavi a resident of West Namachivayapuram, since the students have collected mobile numbers during their campaign to send updates.
“They told us to vote for candidates who know our problems well,” she said.
