‘Ekla cholo re’, free India’s 1st voter tells HP

Rohan Dua TNN

Kalpa (Kinnaur): When a 90-year-old will complete a twokm barefoot walk in the hills at 10,000 feet here on Sunday, it would be a giant leap for Indian democracy. For, he is independent India’s first voter. And, he says it would be Gandhi’s Dandi March and Tagore’s ‘ekla cholo re’ that would inspire him to take those steps to exercise his franchise in yet another election since his first vote way back in 1951.
    

Shyam Saran Negi, during his conversation with TOI, says: “Jaise Gandhiji chale thhe Dandi par. Aur jaise Tagore ne likha tha ‘ekla chalo re’. Vote daalenge apne wajood se, nange paaon chalke. Yeh virodh bhi hai aur adhikar bhi.”
 

    On October 3, when the EC declared polls, TOI had met Shyam Saran to kick off its Dance of Democracy coverage. “India is no longer the democracy it was in 1951 when I and the rest of Kinnaur voted. Corruption, scandals and money laundering have shaken my faith. Freedom has a reduced meaning now,” he had told TOI then. The same day the chief election commissioner had announced him as the first voter of India who had exercised his franchise on October 25, 1951.
 

    On Saturday, a few hours before he was to cast his vote for the 27th time in an election — both general and Vidhan Sabha — Shyam Saran was as emotional and involved about India’s future as earlier.
 

    “Public speeches in 1951 were focused on India’s development in agriculture, education, science and health. Now the focus is on unemployment and price rise. Why? Because politicians could not drive our economy,” said Saran.
 

    Last month’s bitter and foul exchange among visiting leaders in his state has only left Saran further disenchanted. “Did Modi, Sonia or Advani meet anyone? Did they inquire if people have adequate rations at home? They merely stood at a distance and traded charges. This country needs more of Gandhis and Hazares,” he said.
 

    Saran was surprised when he was approached on October 5 by both the BJP and the Congress. “After media reports, I got calls by several political leaders. But I said a big no. Yeh zameer bikega nahi kabhi. I will vote for the candidate not the party,” he said angrily.

SHOWING THE WAY: Shyam Saran Negi says he’ll vote for the candidate not for the party