The page11 Times of India snippet a few days ago was really amazing. I just did not know how to react on the news.
The Press Trust of India report says the Congress party may rope in Slumdog Millionaire kids for poll campaigning. Read it here: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/cong-to-rope-in-slumdog-kids-for-poll-campaigning/86938-37.html
The Mumbai regional Congress committee president saying the party might use the services of Azhar and Rubina—who played the roles of Salim and Latika, respectively—if they volunteer to campaign for the party, shows desperate measures the party is taking.
Engaging stars from the silver screen for their poll campaign is not new for the political parties in India (Amitabh Bachchan participated in the election campaign in support of the Samajwadi Party, Govinda did it for the Congress, Saundarya—the late tollywood actor—for the Bharatiya Janata Party; there are several such instances).
But what makes this new endeavour by the Congress unique is that they are volunteering to engage child actors for their campaign.
Will the plan work or not, it is still to be seen (whether they will go along with the plan or not is also not clear), but I just wonder what these kids (who don’t even have the voting rights, because our Constitution thinks one must be at least 18 to understand who to vote for and why) really know about the parliamentary democracy and how are they supposed to move the minds of the billion plus population of our country.
Though this should not come as a surprise to the most of us, who have often seen scores of kids with paper hats, carrying dhols and shouting the name of a candidate, in exchange of some petty cash before every poll.
It can happen only in India.
And as I was writing the post, the National Dalit Front roped in Pinki (remember the clept-palate girl in the Academy award winning documentary) to campaign for them in the run to the Lok Sabha Polls. (Read the agency report here: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/oscar-winner-pinki-to-be-election-mascot-of-national-dalit-front_100163706.html)
P.S.: Azhar was beaten by his father, who is a tuberculosis patient, on 28 February, since he refused to give interview to a foreign media.
The Press Trust of India report says the Congress party may rope in Slumdog Millionaire kids for poll campaigning. Read it here: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/cong-to-rope-in-slumdog-kids-for-poll-campaigning/86938-37.html
The Mumbai regional Congress committee president saying the party might use the services of Azhar and Rubina—who played the roles of Salim and Latika, respectively—if they volunteer to campaign for the party, shows desperate measures the party is taking.
Engaging stars from the silver screen for their poll campaign is not new for the political parties in India (Amitabh Bachchan participated in the election campaign in support of the Samajwadi Party, Govinda did it for the Congress, Saundarya—the late tollywood actor—for the Bharatiya Janata Party; there are several such instances).
But what makes this new endeavour by the Congress unique is that they are volunteering to engage child actors for their campaign.
Will the plan work or not, it is still to be seen (whether they will go along with the plan or not is also not clear), but I just wonder what these kids (who don’t even have the voting rights, because our Constitution thinks one must be at least 18 to understand who to vote for and why) really know about the parliamentary democracy and how are they supposed to move the minds of the billion plus population of our country.
Though this should not come as a surprise to the most of us, who have often seen scores of kids with paper hats, carrying dhols and shouting the name of a candidate, in exchange of some petty cash before every poll.
It can happen only in India.
And as I was writing the post, the National Dalit Front roped in Pinki (remember the clept-palate girl in the Academy award winning documentary) to campaign for them in the run to the Lok Sabha Polls. (Read the agency report here: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/oscar-winner-pinki-to-be-election-mascot-of-national-dalit-front_100163706.html)
P.S.: Azhar was beaten by his father, who is a tuberculosis patient, on 28 February, since he refused to give interview to a foreign media.
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