Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
AMA ODISHA, Orissa’s frontline civil organization, founded by Sambad editor Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, had made the first milestone in social service sector by starting up, sticking to and constantly enhancing blood donation campaign, so essential for saving life in this State that the politico-executive government has reduced to a land of malnutrition. Its story is a success story of humanitarian activities with, I may say, no comparison. Another milestone it has established in matter of the mother-tongue by enkindling unprecedented zeal amongst students and general public for writing fault free Oriya with meticulous care. Remarkable is its consistency in steering these campaigns ahead with devotion.
The new milestone it has now founded is its campaign for conscious casting of votes by all of the voters.
In a unique congregation convened at Sahid Bhawan, Cuttack, on 23 January, the birthday of two most revered icons of patriotism, Veer Surendra Sai and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, whom the soil of this magnificent State had given birth to, founder President of Ama Odisha – Editor of Sambad – Soumya Ranjan Patnaik urged upon all of the voters to cast their votes certainly in every election to the body of representatives, as thereby only, Indian democracy can be saved from derailment. About 35 % of the voters are abstaining from casting their votes and these 35 % are those that are educated and informed. As inflow of fresh water into ponds is essential to cleanse out the putrified stock of stagnet water, so also active participation of educated and informed citizens in enfranchisement is essential for cleansing the filth from politics, he argued. He stressed on cent per cent voting in elections and declared that Ama Odisha will untiringly conduct the campaign with utmost commitment. An oath to this effect was administered on all who participated.
We entirely endorse this campaign, though to us, conscious casting of votes without distinctly defined determination to oust the saboteurs of the Preamble of Indian Constitution where was laid down the National Resolve for building the country up on the basis of socialism, from office and to bring in such a government that would transport the country from the present pernicious prison of inequality to the real sovereign reign of political economy of equality, the exercise will be futile.
To us, Indian democracy has been transformed into a plutocracy by its political rulers simply because the most conscious segment of voters are abstaining from voting. Only the conscious citizens know that unless the country is put on the track of economy of equality, it can never be saved from vested interest mafia and whatever little semblance of democracy is still in existence will eventually give way to the nastiest of plutocracies. We are sure, if the abstaining-from-vote citizens, basically belong as they to the educated and informed segment of society, decide to actively participate in vote casting, the traitors, that, despite small numbers of vote casted in their favor, have been running the political governments, will be thrown into the trash of time and a new epoch of equality and patriotism that equality alone generates, will emerge.
Therefore, to us, Ama Odisha’s cast-your-vote campaign is the last hope for revival of democracy and survival of India.
We, with this hope, wish all success to the campaign.