Expats in UAE plan India trips to cast vote

Dubai - Thousands of Indian expats are expected to fly to India to be part of the Indian general election.

With the Indian general elections around the corner, a number of non-resident Indians (NRIs) are flying to their home-country to exercise their voting rights. While some say they want to participate in building a new-generation India, others say they have their homes and investments in India and want to be part of the electoral process.
Chandra Prakash Gairola, a Dubai resident for 15 years, is all set to take off to his hometown Uttarakhand on April 10 as the election in his state is scheduled on April 11. This will be the first time that Gairola is casting his vote in the Lok Sabha election.
"Indian elections are actually a festival of the largest democracy of the world. I am going just to vote as this election is unique, and will be back in two days. The Indian constitution has given the right to vote for every Indian citizen and I believe it is our responsibility to elect the right candidate from our constituency so that he or she can represent our area fairly in the government."
Hoping that an NRI voting system will be in place by the next general elections in 2024, Gairola said: "Not every NRI will have the opportunity or resources to fly to India to cast their vote. The Indian Government should develop a polling system for overseas Indians across the world. With a voting system for them, NRIs can play a key role in government formation. It will also help design Indian policies keeping NRI demands in mind."
Expat Dipak Kumar Vora will be flying to Gujarat for the polls on April 23 as he feels his country is going through a "big transformation" and does not want to miss out. "I am going to vote as I feel this election is crucial for us. We have our homes, relatives and investments back in India. I am hoping to participate in the building of a new-generation India."
Dubai-based Priyadarshee Panigrahi will be flying to his state constituency - Sambalpur in Odisha - to cast his vote and will return immediately. "This is the only chance a citizen has to show his preferences. I believe that in today's era of social media and free data, people have become 'couch citizens' who just forward whatever information they receive on social media channels mindlessly, without checking the veracity of the information. When the D-Day comes to go and exercise your vote and take action, most people take a back seat and do not want to take the pains of doing so for whatever reason."
Panigrahi said it is not enough to just "crib about the system not delivering". "We must take part in the electoral process and do the basic that is expected of us regardless of whether our candidate wins or loses. I derive satisfaction in doing my bit, which is what is driving me to spend money on tickets."
Flying to another part of Odisha (Balasore), Satyajit Patra, who will cast his vote on April 29, said he planned his annual leave keeping in mind the election date. "As a responsible citizen of India, I want to see my country's name on the list of developed nations. I want to see my country corruption free. And I think my single vote can also play a vital role in this mission. My wife and I will vote for the right candidate who can be our voice in the parliament."
Dubai-based businessman Bharat Narola, who has been residing outside India for the last 20 years, said he is 'excited to vote'. He will be traveling to Gujarat on April 15 with a group of 20 other voters. "The need of the hour is to support our present government as I believe the government is doing well for the nation and I want to vote them to power again. Another reason behind my support for the present government is that PM Modi has done a great job of strengthening the ties between UAE and India."
Thousands of Indian expats are expected to fly to India to be part of the Indian general elections that begin from April 11 and end on May 19.
saman@khaleejtimes.com

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