Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Witty wife
Voters began to flock to polling stations from the morning on Friday. A man and a woman who recently tied the knot went to vote at a polling booth in Kasturba Nagar which comes under Narela constituency.
The man was heard telling his wife that getting up from bed in the morning, especially in this season, to vote is a sort of punishment. The woman replied: You can sleep peacefully only if the country’s democracy is safe. The conversation spawned sniggers among those who were standing in the queue.
Cat story
At a polling booth in Kamala Nehru Girls’ School in New Market, near TT Nagar Kali Badi, a woman voter was playing with a cat that somehow entered the booth. Those who queued up for voting turned their eyes to the woman when it mewed. The scene amused the first-time voters who told the cat: “Tu bhi button press kar dena (you, too, press EVM button).” All other voters giggled at the comment.
Undeterred voter
A 22-year-old woman came to a polling station on the premises of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Polytechnic along with her aunt (Mami). What happened afterwards was interesting. The voter’s ID of the woman was in the wallet of her Mami who had cast her vote and left for home. When the woman's term to vote came, she was shocked to discover that her ID went missing. She rummaged through her wallet, but did not find it, and was almost in tears. She suddenly rumbled that her voter’s ID was in her Mami’s wallet. She called her up, and when her Mami gave her ID, she voted and looked relaxed. This shows people’s love for democracy.
Party time
It may not be wrong to call this polling day another Woman’s Day, though it is actually celebrated in March every year. A group of women walked up to the polling station number 252 in Narela. All of them togged up as if they were going to attend a party. The voters and the poll officials looked at them – slyly. The well-clad women proudly cast their votes, and went out of the booth as elegantly as they came in. Why not? They were attending the most important party in their life.
Clear choice
A young married woman with her mother entered a polling booth in Govindpura, near BHEL. When a reporter wanted to know from the woman’s mother which party did she cast her vote for? The woman hid her face out of shame and went away, but her daughter said they had come from Ahmedabad and threw a gentle smile. Their choice was clear.
Real spirit
A polling station, set up on the premises of the Tribal Research Institute, wore a festive look. It was a model polling booth. Many voters hugged each other and wished each other a happy Diwali. This was the true spirit of democracy – cook sweet words and dish out love.
Not yet 18
A greenhorn was standing outside a polling booth in Demonstration School in Shyamla Hills. Perhaps he was there to accompany his family members to the polling station. When a voter wanted to know from him whether he had voted or not, he replied, “I’m still not 18.” He smiled. Others standing near him also laughed.
Different hue
Three Ladli Behnas stepped into a polling centre in Govindpura. One of them was a first-time voter, so she was naturally excited. After she cast her vote and came out of the booth, someone wanted to take her photograph, but she politely refused, saying, “If my mother finds my photo in a newspaper, she’ll chew me out.” Though she has the right to elect a government, she cannot get her photograph published in a newspaper. This is the other side of Indian democracy.
