Don't be mere WhatsApp and facebook warriors. Go. Vote.
This note is for holders of 'politics is so dirty ya. So not voting...' kind of an opinion. Please read on...
Was passing by the mustering centre this morning dropping someone for the election duty. Have done this for the last couple of years now. The delegated staff have a list of activities to be performed.
► Be present early in the morning the previous day at the mustering centres.
► Collect EVMs and related materials
► Travel to the assigned booths today in the bus or vehicle given by the govt.
► Stay overnight at the booth with or without basic facilities such as water or bathroom and even a bedroll to sleep. Share the space with insects, mosquitoes and rodents/snakes in worse conditions.
► Wake up, shit and bathe before 5 is there is a bathroom plus water. Else just change into something else.
► Run a mock poll to check the EVMs functioning early in the morning by 6. Report accordingly.
► Start polling. Stay put. Eat if possible. Else just stay.
► Return EVMs for demustering. Return late night tomorrow or day after tomorrow morning.
The manpower for this:
► Cops.
► Men across professions. They cannot shun the duty else they'd have an FIR on them under PRA.
► Women, mothers, ladies all ages. Respect.
► Support staff.
Numbers are HUGE. Operation is respectable and massive.
Do us a favor. Even if you hate your local candidate, just go and cast your vote by sparing a few mins in the line assuming it's some shopping you are doing. Attach pleasure to the end result and motivate yourself.
Everyone is out there braving it to save democracy. Don't be mere WhatsApp and fb warriors. Go. Vote.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Mamata visits Bhabanipur EVM strong room, warns against counting irregularities
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee early Friday warned against any attempt to tamper with the counting process, hours after she visited an EVM strong room in Bhabanipur, alleging possible malpractice.
Banerjee, who emerged around 12:07 am after spending nearly four hours at the counting centre for her Bhabanipur constituency housed in Sakhawat Memorial School in south Kolkata, said only one person would be allowed inside the designated counting area.
"Either the candidate or one agent can stay upstairs. I have also suggested installation of a CCTV camera for the media," she told reporters.
Stressing the need for transparency, she said, "It is essential to maintain transparency. People’s votes must be protected. I rushed here after receiving complaints. The central forces initially did not allow me to enter."
Sounding a stern note ahead of the May 4 counting, she added, "If there is any plan to tamper with the counting process, it will not be tolerated."
On Thursday evening, Banerjee had reached the Bhabanipur Assembly segment counting centre, which houses the strong room for EVMs used in the April 29 polling, citing suspicion of tampering with the machines.
She entered the premises along with her election agent and remained inside for hours, even as Kolkata Mayor and TMC candidate from the Kolkata Port segment Firhad Hakim reached the spot but could not meet her.
"I reached here upon learning that the chief minister has arrived. But I couldn’t meet her since she was already inside the premises, exercising her right as a candidate to visit strong rooms. I wasn’t allowed there. I will not be able to confirm what exactly is transpiring inside," Hakim said.
The development coincided with protests by TMC candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in north Kolkata, where they staged a sit-in alleging irregularities and possible tampering of EVMs stored in strong rooms, leading to face-offs between TMC and BJP supporters.
Earlier in a video message, Banerjee had urged party leaders, workers and polling agents to maintain a 24-hour vigil on EVM strong rooms, alleging that the BJP could attempt to tamper with the machines before counting begins.
Her remarks come amid heightened political tension in the state following a fiercely contested Assembly election, with parties closely monitoring arrangements and raising concerns over transparency.
