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In an effort to spread awareness among voters, the volunteers of the National Service Scheme (NSS) of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) on Saturday formed a human chain at Varanasi's Assi Ghat and pledged to make 100 per cent of the eligible population vote on March 7, or at least breach the 90 per cent voting percentage mark.
Varanasi is set to go to the polls in the last phase of the ongoing Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh on March 7. "NSS BHU is working with SVEEP (Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation) for the past five months and we aim to help reach polling percentage to 100 per cent and if not 100 then at least 90 per cent. We are trying to appeal to youth and other sections of the society to take part. Today is the last day of the campaign, we are going door-to-door and asking them to vote," NSS BHU coordinator Bala Lakhendra told ANI here today. Highlighting their efforts, Lakhendra said that they are spreading awareness from "one Ghat to another". Notably, Varanasi, which is the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a city known for its Ghats. "We are spreading awareness from one Ghat to another. We will hold pad yatra (march) to BHU and the aim is to encourage the youth to rise above caste and religion and vote for nation-building," he added. Apart from the human chain, this group is also spreading awareness among women voters where female volunteers talk to the female group and urge them to take part in the electoral process. As per the NSS coordinator, 6,000 volunteers are spreading awareness in Varanasi among the voters. Speaking about electoral awareness, NSS volunteer Shivani Dubey said that there are many people who do not have the knowledge of voting and the only way they can form a government for their welfare is by casting their vote. "We are forming a human chain and spreading awareness among the people to exercise their voting right. You will find that many people are not having knowledge of voting. Many are not having a voter ID and it is a basic duty for all to be aware citizens. Only when people vote, they can form a government for their welfare," she said. Another NSS volunteer Pratima Yadav believes that youth have the power to bring about changes in society. "Many are not voting and taking it for granted but every vote counts in a democracy. It is important to vote and we are spreading that awareness," said Yadav. The National Service Scheme is an Indian government sector public service program conducted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of the Government of India. Popularly known as NSS, the scheme was launched in Gandhiji's Centenary year in 1969. Varanasi is set to vote on March 7 in the last phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and the counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
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