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Slow, yet steady: Elders lead the voter rush in Gurugram
Chutni, 79, left her house at 7.30am and walked for more than an hour to reach the booth at the government primary school in Bhadas, Ferozepur Jhirka, where she
Chutni, 79, left her house at 7.30am and walked for more than an hour to reach the booth at the government primary school in Bhadas, Ferozepur Jhirka, where she cast her vote on Monday. The septuagenarian lives near a hilly area, away from the main village, and had to halt thrice on her way to the booth. “First, I took a short break while coming from the pahaad (hill). After reaching the main road, I rested again for some time. Out of breath, I took one more halt before crossing the road that leads to the booth,” she said.
While covering the distance on foot was a daunting task for Chutni, she said the effort was worth it. “I got married at the age of 16 and have been living here ever since. Never have I ever missed the chance to vote. Be it panchayat elections or state elections,” said Chutni, who goes by her first name. She said that elections were a dangal (contest) between different people and she could support one of them with her vote. “Someone could benefit from my vote,” Chutni said, adding she wanted to ensure that she had a say in the selection of the next leader. “My pension is ₹2,000 right now. I want the new government to increase it to ₹5,000,” she said.
Further ahead, in Punhana constituency, it was a sight worth watching when 94-year-old Jabatri came to cast her vote in the government primary school, Pinangwan. She was accompanied by her family which included her sons, grandsons, grand-daughter-in-law, and great-grand daughters. The nonagenarian stepped down from the car at the school’s gate and walked 400 metres to the voting room. “The pathway that leads from the main road till the voting booth is non-motorable. There are mounds of sand; we all, including our mother-in-law, walked,” Jabatri’s daughter-in-law Bharti Devi, 51, said, adding that Jabatri did not use a wheelchair.
“I have lived here since the Bhaaga-Bhagi (the Partition) and have voted in all elections. Participating in the process gives me happiness and a sense of identity,” Jabatri said.
Other nonagenarians echoed her sentiments and said that while the voting process had undergone a sea change, they had kept pace with the developments. “Bogus voting was more prevalent before the introduction of EVMs. I like EVMs since they are simpler and more convenient,” said 93-year-old Mamer Singh who cast his vote at the Government Senior Secondary School in Bhondsi. Singh reached the school on a scooter, sitting between his sons Brijesh and Kirpal Singh. “I press the button myself despite my sons accompanying me,” Mamer said, adding that he had voted in all elections, be it councilor, MLA or MP elections.
Sipping a cup of tea given to him by the poll booth team at Govt Middle School in Ghamroj was 92-year-old Prithvi Singh. “Earlier, people didn’t have too many parties to choose from. Politicians cared for their constituency and visited our homes. Now, many candidates don’t even come for campaigning. I don’t know half of the candidates in the fray,” Singh said.
Gajral Singh, 87, was seen hobbling on a stick as his grandson and son held each of his arms to help him out of the polling station at Bhora Kalan near Pataudi. The senior citizen said that he had not missed a single election. There were others, who hoped that their one vote could change the way things are run. “I voted today for future generations to have a responsible government that will address their issues and make the city more developed,” said 75-year-old Swadesh Nagpal, a resident of Sector 15-I.
