by K. Thirukumaran
Exercising the privilege of voting – in any election is an utmost importance among civic duties.
Paaventhar Bharathithasan, Grover Cleveland and Subramaniya Bharathiyaar
As US President Grover Cleveland said, “Your every voter, as surely as your chief magistrate, exercises a public trust”.
Grover Cleveland – (March 18, 1837 – June 24, 1908) was the 22nd and 24th President of the United States of America and placed in honors as the only US president to serve two nonconsecutive terms (1885–1889 and 1893–1897) and to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents.
There comes a time in the process of electioneering – people casting ballots – by “the everyday citizen” – and they are deemed as a “Chief Magistrate” by this esteemed President of United States.
There is however in every election around the world a stand of complacency. Voters in Sri Lanka, Tamil voters particularly are no exception.
With that there is the major contenders voice for “change” and “continuity” to the core voting constituencies in Sri Lanka while there are those voters asking “what’s in it for us” and “what difference will it make”.
Finding air in this environment are squint suggestions of Tamils should not cast a ballot or stay off the poll etc.
Socio-political aspects of belonging, resilience and to think as all people as one and equal are made by the immortal poet Mahakavi Sunbramaniya Bharathiyaar (11 December 1882 – 11 September 1921) and also by Paaventhar Bharathithasan (April 29, 1891 – April 21, 1964). The lyrics of “Sweet rendering of the instrument Yarl amidst times of sorrow” “Thunbam Nergaiyil” – by Paaventhar Bharathithasan, uplifts in times such as these.
The song “Thunbam Nergaiyil” was popularized in the movie “Oar Iravu” – the film by CN Annadurai released in 1951. The movie has a Mahakavi Subramaniya Bharathiyaar song as well:
The main lyrics in this song say, “beat the (traditional) “Murasu” (drum), in proclaiming that all people are equal, in its call out for love”.
Voting, in a competitive election where there is potential for vote splitting among the love of ballot seeking two stronger candidates, every vote will count, with a chance for “all people to be equal”, at least on election day as envisioned by the poet.
The process of undergoing the exercising of franchise while contenders asking for your vote, indeed empowers the voter as a “Magistrate”. The voter does rivet in the moment of sweet rendering of “public trust”, that is justice in solemn memory, during this civic action.
Anyone with the suggestion or idea of voters to act otherwise, abstain, waste or be complacent are only seeking their own light at the burning misery of another one’s darkness.
No Tamil is expecting if “change” happens or if “continuity” is retained, that some “special privileges” are to be delivered on a silver platter to people of North-East and/or other Tamils, Tamil speaking people, Muslims, Burghers and all elsewhere in the isle.
However the people living in North-East just like all will live with the consequences of the presidential poll.
Therefore, all voters – Tamils particularly must be actively persuaded in ensuring they exercise their franchise in the January 8, 2015 poll to elect the President of Sri Lanka.
In the words of President Grover Cleveland, to everyday citizens – exercise your share of the public trust, as a “Chief Magistrate”.