CHENNAI: In the centre of the high-pitched elections are women, whose voices are often muffled against the backdrop of male, familial and social media influences. City Express finds out if they exercise their will to vote — no strings attached
S VASANTHA, 25, construction worker I am not very well-versed with politics. I just want my vote to help put someone who will work for me and the betterment of the country in power. I got married when I was very young and ever since then I have been completely dependent on my husband for everything. I trust him blindly because I feel he has a better understanding of everything.
There is no question of fighting over favourites because without me even realising, his favourite actor becomes my favourite actor, his favourite food becomes something I enjoy and politics is no different. We haven’t decided who we are going to vote for this time because earlier it was a lot easier as it was a question of choosing between Jayalalithaa or Karunanidhi. Now that these big names are not in the running, we really need to think about where to put our votes. I am sure my husband will make a decision and once he does, I will know who to vote for. My children are very young but when they get to an age when they can vote, I hope they will be able to make informed choices based on their education, something that I am not able to do.
A MURUGALAKSHMI, 42, employee at a petrol bunk I am going to vote NOTA this year! There is no one I want to give my vote to. I’m not particularly happy about this trend of actors becoming politicians. I feel that businessmen becoming politicians is fine as long as they are educated and have a clean record but actors should stick to movies.
My husband and I have very different political opinions and I am extremely vocal about my views. He does try to convince me to side with him but he lets me make these decisions for myself in the end. I feel that is a huge privilege in itself because from where I come, there is no concept of individual opinion. Families vote for the same person, regardless of whether or not the representative is good or worthy.
They’re even willing to excuse criminal misconduct just to keep up old affiliations, which is preposterous. Since I firmly believe everyone is entitled to vote for whomsoever they want, I have told my children the same. But I have told them not to waste their vote and to use it for someone who they believe will work for our collective good and not for themselves. If, like me, they feel there is no one like that, I have told them to vote NOTA.
R SENTAMIZH SELVI, 49, maid If there’s one thing that was taught to me as a child, it is the importance of voting. My native is Poyyapakkam in Vellore. I’ve been voting since the age of 18. Our panchayat ensured that the voter IDs reached us in time. Those days, everybody in the family would religiously vote for the one and same political party. In fact, people would easily guess which family voted for whom. Although our father was the dominant figure in our house, he never forced us to vote for someone in specific. I always value the pros and cons with the minimal knowledge through Tamil news channels and magazines. I have to see if a particular candidate deserves my vote. It mostly depends on the help they have offered to my family during the tenure. Mainly, if the party has provided sufficient job opportunities then I’d surely vote for them. The party I vote for always wins. I moved to Chennai in 1994. Each of us in the family have our choices. We silently vote and never discuss later. Considering both the leaders — Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa are not there, it’s going to be a tough decision for all of us. For people like us, mass figures like them appealed the most.
VENKATA NAGALAKSHMI, 31, headmistress I vote for what is right. Beliefs and convictions are different based on each individual. At home, everyone has different opinions on the current affairs and happenings in the state. Disagreements happen which is natural but just because I share the same viewpoint with the opposite gender in my family does not mean my decisions are influenced by them. As educated people, we should cast votes for what we feel is right, every vote matters. It is a civic responsibility of a citizen. Before voting, it is important to look at the proposed policies by parties so the plans and programmes implemented are for the betterment of the state. Politics is dubious. For me, instead of voting for someone who has no experience in politics, I will vote for people who have had years of experience. Also, I believe that if a woman can lead a house then she can lead society as well. Half of the society today is made up of women and they have better judgments when it comes to solving a crisis. The present government has told the people not to forget to vote, emphasising on the fact that voting is very important and that one should vote on their own choice.
SUNITA KHEMKA, 50, educationist-social activist I am an independent and strong-minded woman with a choice, and an important decision to make when it comes to voting. Whoever is helping us, has been with us at every bend of our life will get my vote. The candidate matters, irrespective of which political party he/she belongs to. This year, it is all about ‘information and an informed election’ — thanks to the easy accessibility of manifestos and data.
It is all about the present and future for me — the one that will maintain the essence of the nation and not surrender to the party’s selfish motives. I would vote for someone who speaks the language of aspiration. His/her action should speak louder than the words. I am not someone who will jump onto the bandwagon. I would want everyone to use their vote with full awareness.
Despite an increase in the number of stories of women leading and proving their potential in any given field, we are still underestimated when it comes to technology, politics, and finances. People more often than not try to influence our opinions or make statements that are uncalled for. For instance, remarks like ‘What do you know about politics?’, are very common. Women can access the agenda presented by the parties/ candidates, weigh the benefits — from education to startups and take an informed decision. Choosing wisely before we vote, matters in shaping the future.
JIGYASA GIRI, 54, Kathak teacher I vividly remember how my parents used to leave early in the morning to be among the first in line to vote and the blue-inked index fingernail that they would proudly sport! They would discuss their views and concerns, yet they were independent in their voting choice. I am married into the family of the fourth President of India, and my mother-in-law, Dr Mohini Giri also held the post of chairperson, national commission for women.
At 82, she continues to be a source of inspiration and guidance to women world over. Thus, with regard to voting, I have learned since when I was a child that casting one’s vote is a matter of independent, individual responsibility, irrespective of gender, as also is every other aspect of life. Influences can be many, but there should be no coercion to vote for any particular party. At the end of the day, it is about respecting each individual’s freedom of choice. It is about weighing pros and cons and choosing good governance over short-term gains, it is about being astute and informed. It is about building a strong socioeconomic nation.
PARVATHY SUBRAMANIAN, 23, teacher I voted for the first time during the Assembly elections in 2016. While I observed my parents voting for specific candidates/parties for reasons that included promises in manifestos that benefited their career, and a political party’s past fulfillment of a said election promise, I tried not to blindly follow them. Honestly, the first time, I wasn’t aware even about the candidates who contested in our constituency.
So, I did my bit of research, went through what is being discussed and made an informed decision. To me, basic amenities like water, transportation and so on are important. I have noticed that in a few places there’s a lack of public transportation system. So, I will be looking out for someone who can take care of issues as basic as that. While bigger issues matter, the foundation also has to be set solid. I haven’t been influenced by any third person in making my decision but, interestingly social media has become a hotbed for election-related tidbits and pre-election debates. Boon or bane? We can never tell.
DHARANI BALASUBRAMANIAM, 20, first-year journalism student Being a first-time voter, I’m excited. I consider voting a privilege as it allows people the freedom to vote for what they believe in. As a journalism student, my thoughts and reasoning are very different from my family. I will vote for what I believe in. My parents are voting for the party which they voted for previously. This has always been the case as the older generations of women in my family are illiterate and don’t have much knowledge about elections and casting votes. So, they tread on the heels of the men in the family who take decisions for them to which I disagree. I won’t be voting for the major parties but, will vote for a new party. Women should take a separate stand, they should come out and vote and not just be bystanders. The political world has been dominated by men since the beginning, the gram sabha leaders, the village councils, MLAs. There are very few women on these platforms. More women should participate in elections whether they win or lose. The leaders should focus on current issues. I believe that to be a politician one should have a proper educational background with no criminal records.
AMUDHA M, 50, flower vendor I’ve been voting ever since I got the voter ID. I don’t think one needs to be literate to weigh the measures each party has accomplished during its tenure. People like us, apart from toiling every day, discuss politics quite often.
It can be over an evening chat or over a cup of tea. As a family, we would discuss who would be of help and then vote. It’s not a must that we follow a pattern. Neither do we ask each other. We do keep track of the number of promises implemented during canvassing at our slums. Freebies are secondary. Our primary concerns are equal job opportunities, identifying talents among women and free education for our kids.
There are times when we need to take subsidised loans for our small-time businesses. Our voting is very loyal. Once we trust a party then we will not change sides. But, for that, politicians need to live up to the promises to gain our trust and not manipulate us. However, this generation seems a bit lethargic. They do not know the value of voting. I literally have to push my son to vote. He retorts, “If they want our vote then they need to provide the voter ID in time. Instead of making us go back and forth.” Children are well aware.