SVEEP drive strikes a chord with villagers

Deepender Deswal

Bhiwani, April 20

The Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation programme (SVEEP), a flagship event of the Election Commission of India to motivate people to participate in the electoral process, is being carried out in a unique way in rural areas of the Tosham subdivision of Bhiwani district.

Unique initiative

We are trying to make the electorate aware through folk songs and drama. The camel cart ride and folk songs were made part of the campaign to draw attention of the people. — Naresh Narwal, Bhiwani Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer

Officials, led by Tosham SDM-cum-Assistant Election Officer, Manoj Kumar Dalal, visited Miran village of Bhiwani district. Donning a traditional attire, including pagri, and accompanied by a number of women officials and villagers also wearing traditional costumes, he rode a camel cart and made a tour of the village with folk songs playing in the background.

Suno e sakhi…vote geran jaanaa sai. Bhul naa jaanaa, yo tyohar paanch saal baad aanaa sai. (Listen oh friends, listen…you must move out to cast your vote. Don’t forget as this festival of votes will come once in five years). This folk song echoed in the streets of Miran village as villagers joined the chorus.

Anganwadi workers and other women staff members of the Women and Child Development Department who also participated in the programme were also dressed up in Haryanvi costumes. Folk songs playing in the background attracted the attention of the villagers. SDM Manoj Kumar Dalal said they had been trying to motivate people to exercise their franchise to improve the polling percentage in the Lok Sabha poll. Tosham subdivision is part of the Bhiwani–Mahendergarh Lok Sabha segment.

During the programme, the SDM also honored the disabled voters of the village and also got photographed with villagers at the selfie point. Anganwadi workers and other women urged local residents to set a target of 100 per cent voting in Miran village.

The Assistant Election Officer said that people got influenced through street plays and folk songs in local languages. “We are trying to make the electorate aware through folk songs and drama which is unique in itself. The camel cart ride and folk songs were made part of the campaign to draw attention of the people,” he said.

Bhiwani Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer Naresh Narwal said that the district administration had been carrying out a vociferous campaign under the SVEEP programme to encourage voters, especially women to come out and vote for the candidate of their choice in the elections.

“We have also reached out to college-going girls to encourage them to participate in voting on the designated day in Haryana”, he said. He appreciated the SVEEP activities carried out in Tosham subdivision which struck a chord with the local residents.