Encouraged by April experience, RK Nagar voters now want cash
Pradeep Kumar | TNN | Updated: Nov 26, 2017, 10:00 IST
Highlights
In April, TOI revealed how bribing agents had gone around RK Nagar interacting with voters using a code phrase.
“Sami Kumbitaacha?” (Did you offer prayers to God?) – the agent would ask and an affirmative reply meant that a cash transaction had taken place the night before.
There are no doubts among voters in Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar (RK Nagar) assembly constituency on whether they would like to be "paid to vote" by candidates.
CHENNAI: There are no doubts among voters in Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar (RK Nagar) assembly constituency on whether they would like to be "paid to vote" by candidates. Answers that the voters here seek are to questions such as when, where and how much.
In April, TOI revealed how bribing agents had gone around RK Nagar interacting with voters using a code phrase. "Sami Kumbitaacha?" (Did you offer prayers to God?) - the agent would ask and an affirmative reply meant that a cash transaction had taken place the night before. This unprecedented scale of bribing left an indelible mark on the minds of voters so much so that they now expect candidates to come knocking on their doors carrying at least a couple of magenta-coloured banknotes in hand. Unlike in April, voters also appear confident when discussing money for votes.
"People who can vote but don't have a voter ID card are rushing to get theirs. Nobody wants to let go of an opportunity (to get paid)," said Kannan*, a shopkeeper in Shastri Nagar. What RK Nagar witnessed in April was the extent of desperate measures the contesting candidates willingly resorted to. "It is a high stakes political war. But the fact is that these candidates don't care an iota about the people and the constituency," said Anbu, a resident of Marimuthu Street in Korukkupet, adding that he sees no wrong in taking money.
"What would I gain by taking Rs 4,000 or Rs 5,000? The best I can do is pay off a month's rent," said S Palanisamy, a resident of Kesava Street. For people like Ranjith Kumar, who is self-employed, the money that is paid as bribe comes "from the government".
"Preaching to people about not taking money will change nothing. If the authorities are serious about holding cash-free elections, they should bar entry of outsiders into the constituency," Kumar said.
VCK spokesperson D Ravikumar attributed the prevailing mindset to a failure on the part of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to punish those who were caught bribing voters. "When people see that the ECI has done next to nothing to curb the cash flow or punish the people who distributed money, they see nothing wrong in taking what is offered to them," he said.
V Suresh, general secretary, People's Union for Civil Liberties, echoed Ravikumar's thoughts. "That there was no prosecution launched will only encourage the dole-giving politicians to indulge in nefarious activities once again," he said. Suresh suggested that the ECI should set up citizen-monitoring committees to check this widespread menace (bribing).
Top CommentPeople are talking as if they are saints. Just arrest the people who take money and jail them. Taking money is the first offense then only giver will be punished.Lanjappan
"Putting the blame on voters is not the solution (for ECI) because they are not the disease. Their (voter) mindset is a symptom of the disease that affects the whole of our electoral system," Ravikumar said.
*Name changed on request
Pradeep Kumar | TNN | Updated: Nov 26, 2017, 10:00 IST
Highlights
In April, TOI revealed how bribing agents had gone around RK Nagar interacting with voters using a code phrase.
“Sami Kumbitaacha?” (Did you offer prayers to God?) – the agent would ask and an affirmative reply meant that a cash transaction had taken place the night before.
There are no doubts among voters in Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar (RK Nagar) assembly constituency on whether they would like to be "paid to vote" by candidates.
CHENNAI: There are no doubts among voters in Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar (RK Nagar) assembly constituency on whether they would like to be "paid to vote" by candidates. Answers that the voters here seek are to questions such as when, where and how much.
In April, TOI revealed how bribing agents had gone around RK Nagar interacting with voters using a code phrase. "Sami Kumbitaacha?" (Did you offer prayers to God?) - the agent would ask and an affirmative reply meant that a cash transaction had taken place the night before. This unprecedented scale of bribing left an indelible mark on the minds of voters so much so that they now expect candidates to come knocking on their doors carrying at least a couple of magenta-coloured banknotes in hand. Unlike in April, voters also appear confident when discussing money for votes.
"People who can vote but don't have a voter ID card are rushing to get theirs. Nobody wants to let go of an opportunity (to get paid)," said Kannan*, a shopkeeper in Shastri Nagar. What RK Nagar witnessed in April was the extent of desperate measures the contesting candidates willingly resorted to. "It is a high stakes political war. But the fact is that these candidates don't care an iota about the people and the constituency," said Anbu, a resident of Marimuthu Street in Korukkupet, adding that he sees no wrong in taking money.
"What would I gain by taking Rs 4,000 or Rs 5,000? The best I can do is pay off a month's rent," said S Palanisamy, a resident of Kesava Street. For people like Ranjith Kumar, who is self-employed, the money that is paid as bribe comes "from the government".
"Preaching to people about not taking money will change nothing. If the authorities are serious about holding cash-free elections, they should bar entry of outsiders into the constituency," Kumar said.
VCK spokesperson D Ravikumar attributed the prevailing mindset to a failure on the part of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to punish those who were caught bribing voters. "When people see that the ECI has done next to nothing to curb the cash flow or punish the people who distributed money, they see nothing wrong in taking what is offered to them," he said.
V Suresh, general secretary, People's Union for Civil Liberties, echoed Ravikumar's thoughts. "That there was no prosecution launched will only encourage the dole-giving politicians to indulge in nefarious activities once again," he said. Suresh suggested that the ECI should set up citizen-monitoring committees to check this widespread menace (bribing).
Top CommentPeople are talking as if they are saints. Just arrest the people who take money and jail them. Taking money is the first offense then only giver will be punished.Lanjappan
"Putting the blame on voters is not the solution (for ECI) because they are not the disease. Their (voter) mindset is a symptom of the disease that affects the whole of our electoral system," Ravikumar said.
*Name changed on request
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