Patna’s ‘bhoonjawala’ on a voter awareness drive

PATNA: Undeterred by the summer heat, 50-year-old Lal Mani Das encourages people to vote as he moves in the state capital for selling ready-made snacks (bhoonja). He launched a campaign — ‘Cycle Jagrukta Yatra’ — a month ago to create awareness about the need to vote.

He carries a flex and distributes pamphlets among people while urging them to vote on development issue. His pamphlet has ten important points for electors to keep in mind while voting in favour of any candidate. the slogan on his banner reads: ‘Apne rashtriya adhikaro ka samman karen, matdaan karen’ (Respect your national rights and vote).

“I have been receiving an overwhelming response not only in urban areas but in rural areas too,” said Das, who has covered more than 200km across the Pataliputra and Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituencies so far. “I’m trying to reach out to as many people as I can before the election in the two constituencies on May 19,” he said.

Das hails from Begusarai but has been living in Patna with his wife and four children in Bazaar Samiti locality at Patna for the last 15 years. He said the Election Commission should ban for six years such candidates who get less votes than NOTA (none of the above).

Das, who earned around Rs600 daily, said, “Nowadays, I’m focused more on campaigning than selling bhoonja. So, I’m not making that much money. But it is fine.”

Das said he was appealing to the electors to make informed and ethical choices while casting their votes. “I have mentioned in my pamphlets some important points of a good leader such as the one who spent less money on electioneering, had 75% attendance in Parliament, raised people’s issues and development agendas,” he said.

“I’m not promoting any party or individual. Other people like me should also launch such campaigns about voting rights,” he added.