Better a voter selfie than an IPL update: At least it's inclusive

Editor’s note: This is a comment we received on the article, “ Look, I voted: Voter selfie waves trumps Modi tsunami ” published earlier today. Apart from light editing for spelling and grammar, the comment has been left as is.  by Anindya Upadhyay If the voter is voting only to click a selfie, it’s a problem. Which clearly is not the case. The voter takes time out of his/her schedule, queues up and makes a decision. Once that responsibility has been discharged well, conscientiously etc, what’s wrong if a selfie is posted? [caption id=“attachment_1498059” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  When a celebrity takes a selfie, we get the message that our vote is as important as theirs is[/caption] It is just to tell ones peers that in spite of the heat, the traffic jams and other pressing concerns, one has not been apathetic. It is a moment of having done a duty well. In that sense, a selfie of the inked finger is a mark of pride of having discharged a duty well. When celebrities do it, those who weren’t planning to take the bother to vote, get the message that every vote counts, that their’s is as important as the khan’s or the bachhans. That it should be done. If a selfie is motivation enough for people to vote and take pride, so be it. It is a palpable moment of capturing ones duty towards the democracy and passing on a loaded message without words. Timelines flooding with inked-finger selfies seem to be much better than football or IPL updates. It’s a more inclusive activity than football or IPL. It’s part of freedom of expression and the way I see it, selfies of inked fingers are actually a political statement, all are entitled to.