"My vote is not for sale...": Vellore activist campaigns against bribery ahead of Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections

Nivedan Kumar, a social activist, has been consistently spreading public awareness on various civic issues such as traffic violations, helmet usage, and plastic eradication. With the elections approaching, he has now focused his attention on promoting clean and fair voting practices.

The self-employed individual carries placards while going about his business, with messages written on his back, such as, 'The first corruption is both accepting money for a vote and giving money for a vote'.

He has also mounted a banner on the front of his vehicle, styled like a flag, reading, 'I will not accept money for my vote; my vote is not for sale', and travels across the city daily to spread awareness among the public.

Speaking to ANI about his initiative, Nivedan Kumar said that just as it is considered corruption when government officials take money to perform their duties, citizens who accept money to perform their democratic duty of voting should also be regarded as bribed.

"I am doing a campaign against bribery. Just as it is considered corruption when government officials take bribes to perform their duties, it should equally be seen as corruption when citizens accept money to perform their democratic duty of voting, which ultimately shapes the government. People must realise that this is the first form of corruption. That is why I am carrying out this awareness campaign. My aim is for every voter to pledge that their vote is not for sale and to ensure 100% voter participation without selling their votes," he said.

Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, covering a total of 234 constituencies in the state. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4. (ANI)