His cartoons bring one message — go out and vote

Activist Vasanthkumar Mysoremath goes into ‘action mode’ when elections are around the corner. The reason: to bring more voters to the polling booths.

With the slogan ‘Vote You Must’, Mr. Mysoremath, convener of the Voter Awareness Movement, Mysuru, has taken the cartoon route to educate people about the importance of voting for strengthening the democracy.

This senior citizen has been conducting this campaign during elections —both Assembly and Lok Sabha — for several years since his retirement. “I have created certain graphics and cartoons with interesting messages in Kannada and English to spread awareness on voting,” he told The Hindu.

With slogans such as ‘Vote for your country, do not backstab democracy’, the activist holds awareness sessions at schools, colleges and other institutions. He gives a Powerpoint presentation with the graphics and cartoons. Among this poll messages are ‘Vote for your future’, ‘Greater participation for stronger democracy’, ‘Participate – strengthen democracy’, ‘India is a young country and belongs to its young voters’, ‘Do not elect criminals’, ‘Vote is your democratic right, exercise it’, and ‘Your vote will save democracy’.

Some of the cartoons carry messages such as ‘Angry with politics, express it’, ‘Vote you must – otherwise you will be held responsible for the future political confusion in the minds of your children’, ‘Vote you must even if you are confused’, and ‘Whether to vote or not - If you don’t somebody might better you vote’.

‘Eliminate corruption’

“Vote you must though you know that all of them are a chip off the old block. Election is a golden opportunity to eliminate criminals and corrupt elements from society,” he says in his campaigns. Mr. Mysoremath advised youngsters not to say their votes don’t matter and politics is always for the corrupt. “You have the power to change the system. It is time you come out and vote for a stronger India.”

He said there was no point in pointing fingers at the system and passing cynical remarks. “We must act now and correct the decaying system before it is too late. It is now or never. Take this election as a challenge and be the change you want to see,” he advised voters.