Dahi: May be it’s call of duty or Nimari custom, scores of school teachers from Dahi village under Kukshi assembly constituency in Dhar district found a novel idea to encourage rural electorate to vote. Despite Diwali vacation, they started door-to-door campaign in this small village situated barely 30 km from Maharashtra and 60 km from Gujarat border, with around 5500 voters. Under the campaign, teachers are distributing yellow rice as mark of invitation to the voters to exercise their franchise.
Teachers, involved in the task, said they’re just following the Nimar customs as it’s best way not only to encourage voters but also to bring them to the voting centres. Election media in-charge Irfan Mansoori said that initially, when the teachers knock the door, the villagers thought that guests came to their place on the next day of Diwali and started welcoming them.
However, a few minutes later, when the teachers presented them yellow rice, they came to know the reason behind this.
The villagers promised the visitors that they will not let their efforts go in vain and will take part in voting, Mansoori said. Notably, migration of villagers to neighbouring states like Gujarat and Maharashtra is the major cause of concern for the administration. Mansoori added that administrative officers choose Padwa and Bhai Dooj for the drive as maximum number of villagers were present at their home due to festivities and it’s easy for the teachers to interact with them at one place. SDM and Returning Officer Anshul Gupta asked the teachers posted in the area to pull their socks and even teachers’ responded the duty call very well and cover most of the places in last two days.
