On election day, the only voice that matters is that of the voter. Nothing else is important. The parties and the candidates contesting the election have been silent to give the voters the time to arrive at a decision of who to cast their vote for. Today, therefore, is your chance to be heard. It is your vote that will decide who forms the next government in Goa. So, make your voice count as you vote to shape the future of your State. There is only one Goa. It has to be saved – the land has to be saved, the generations to come have to be saved, the identity has to be saved, the culture has to be saved, every bit of what we call Goa has to be saved. It just cannot be destroyed or allowed to be ruined.
This is a democracy and in a democratic system, people have the opportunity to determine the future of the State and who will govern them. There are no dictators or rulers who rule. There are only governments that govern. When this is forgotten the government becomes rulers and that should not happen. It is the duty of the citizens to ensure that it does not so occur, and for that they have to vote.
There is no VIP on election day. Whether you are a daily wage worker or president of a company or chief minister, you stand in the same queue and cast your vote. The only persons who could be given preference in the queue would be senior citizens. The eligibility to be a voter is that the person must be 18 years old. So on this day every able resident of Goa needs to come out of the home and proceed to the polling booth to cast his or her vote. There should be no exceptions as every vote counts.
The campaign for the elections has been low on decibels but quite high on rhetoric as parties pulled out every possible trick to paint the other in negative colours. The social media played quite a role here. Polling day falls in the shadow of a news report that telecast a video showing four candidates apparently agreeing to switch sides if they get elected and their support is needed by some other party. Complaints have been filed with the Election Commission of India by the candidates and an inquiry has been initiated. By the time the veracity of this sting operation is ascertained, the polls will have ended.
The political system may not be perfect, it will have its rough edges. The shenanigans of the politicians during the past five years may act as a put off to many voters who are tired of the constantly switching of sides by the person they elected. But, this is the real reason why they have to go out to the polling station today and vote. Every vote is important, every vote that is cast makes a statement. Every Goan has to make his voice heard by the manner in which the vote is cast. By not voting, the voter merely surrenders to the politicians and their ways. Those who do not vote cannot at a later day complain of the government that has been formed.
Whatever the outcome of the election, which will be known on March 10 when the electronic voting machines beep out the numbers, it has to be accepted by the voter, no matter who he or she has voted for. It has to also be similarly accepted by the political parties who have the responsibility of honouring the mandate of the people. In a democracy, you win some elections, you lose some also. The loser has to accept the mandate of the people and concede defeat. When the people show their responsibility by voting and accepting the outcome of the polls, the parties and the candidates must also do the same. It is the least that is expected from those that are in this election. Winning and losing is part of the process.
So go out there this Monday and vote because this election is not just about who is going to form the government or who is going to be the chief minister. This election will determine the future of Goa. Every vote, therefore, counts.
