This question may sound sarcastic, but looking at it in to a deeper level, it can be re-framed as “Do Indian cricketers need to vote this summer?”. (I may be touching all the vague reasons available)
Answering this may take us down to a level of dealing with duties and rights.We need to enjoy our rights whilst fulfilling our duties.
Consider a case when they are only fulfilling their duty as a cricketer and not utilizing right to vote.(Which seems to be most probable). A lot of revenue is generated from IPL to our country. Agreed. One vote may not change the course of who is going to win the elections. Not completely, but ok, agreed. Possibly, an IPL match may be valued more than casting their vote based on these reasons.
But in a country like India, where cricketers are icons, their single vote is different from other single votes. Not in terms of the number. But in terms of the value. Let me tell you why it is so.
We are living in a country where we try to deselect a party from power rather than selecting a party to power. Most of the educated Indians, working in corporate firms far away from their home towns, don’t see the value of their vote, they may not be in a mood to spend around 20K bucks just to go and vote for any candidate contesting in their home town. This may be for reasons like not a good leader is the list of candidates contesting or that there is no benefits that they are going to get out of casting their vote, etc.,
To answer them, this time we have the option of NOTA. We know that if NOTA wins, the second best candidate is declared as winner, it needs refinement. But, current NOTA also sends out a warning message that the declared winner is also not the fitting one to power and he/she needs to work more effectively to regain his/her place. Also, hopefully, several good people may look forward in contesting the polls in next elections for that place where NOTA won.
There are cases where the EC may fail to provide good security and chances of rigging cannot be denied. In such cases, if we are not going to cast our vote, some one else may cast it with out our consciousness. Good reason of why we should vote?
Also, if we look at the profile of every candidate, who is contesting the poll in your region and not just at the profiles of big parties, there can be one person, who seems to be worth of being elected to rule. Vote for him/her. Your single vote may not be changing the course of who is going to win the poll. But in all cases, it will certainly reduce the winning margin. This makes the winner to focus more and do some good work to regain his position. At the same time, some good number of votes can improves hopes in the person to whom you have voted, that people recognize the good.
Leaders need power to implement their ideas and in India, those who are in power are treated as leaders. A major flaw. And in a sense, we are responsible for it. Question yourself “why?”.
Recognize the value of your vote. This is something that helps to create a change once in five years. Select your leader and give him/her the power to rule India rather than deselecting any party.
Coming back to the reason of why Indian cricketers should vote, it is for the same reason that they should set standards as an icon to the public of India, making them to cast their vote, making them to realize the value of casting their vote by directly utilizing their right to vote.
Not just this reason alone, one more thing, not so far from now, I can see cricketers campaign for EC (like Aamir) in encouraging people to vote. At that point of time, they should not be questioned of their own credibility.Atleast Govt., should consider providing postal ballot opprtunity. (FYI online poll is still under consideration for NRIs and I think it will be so as long as our children read “India is a developing country” in Social Studies)
And finally, its the call of the cricketer or for that matter any 18+ Indian to cast their vote, by prioritizing their duties.
If I have to say something, I would like to say:
“This Summer, INK YOURSELF”
(Courtesy: Naveen a.k.a Reddy Reddsszz, Ramya a.k.a Potter Head, Dheeraj a.k.a Dvr Dheeru)
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