Responding to the need of the Sikh Sangat of Rajouri Garden to enlist as voters for the forthcoming DSGMC elections, the Sikh Sangat of the area, led by the Sikh Youth Foundation is engaged in a daily door to door campaign, not only urging Sikh Sangat to register their votes but also enabling them through the online and offline filling of the relevant forms for registration of new votes, adding photos of already existing voters as well as identification and deletion of bogus votes.

SINCE THE LAST WEEK, TEAMS OF ACTIVISTS, ARMED WITH VOTER LISTS AND RELEVANT FORMS HAVE COVERED more than 400 families in a door-to-door campaign informing Sikh Sangat about the DSGMC elections and enabling them to enlist as voters. . Hundreds of forms have been distributed and a telephone campaign is also on to touch base with young new voters.

Speaking to WSN, leader of the Sikh Youth Foundation -Harneek Singh said, “We are clear that we should not lose the battle by default. Nobody should. We will spare no effort for one hundred per cent enrolment of Sikh voters in the Rajouri Garden constituency for the DSGMC elections. We were inspired by the World Sikh News campaign for maximum participation in the DSGMC elections. ”

“We are inspired by the WSN campaign for voter awareness in the DSGMC elections. Our aim is 100 per cent participation by Rajouri Garden Sikh voters.”

Harneek Singh, Leader, Sikh Youth Foundation

“Even though we are living here for decades, this campaign in the last few days has opened new vistas of information and experience relating to how the DSGMC election process functions and the pitfalls which hamper free and fair elections,” he added.

This is a rare venture in Sikh religious and political affairs. It is extremely rare to see that those who are not contesting elections are engaged in the poll process persuading people to participate.

“In the 2017 elections, there were 10000 plus voters in Rajouri Garden. It is our endeavour to touch the new youth who are eligible as voters. We have a team of motivated businessmen and entrepreneurs who are sparing time and effort in the interest of the Panth,” said Sukhbir Singh to WSN.

As Delhi is still in the spate of Covid19, activists were seen wearing masks, maintaining social distance in their interaction with prospective voters. “We are really encouraged and happy with the positive response. The typical warmth of tea and snacks was always there, which occasion we are using to further empower and inspire them to register as voters as well as to vote during the elections,” said SYF leader Harneek Singh.

Narrating his experience, Amarpreet Singh, another activist speaking to WSN said, “One of the residents of Rajouri Garden stated that they have been living in Rajouri for the last 20 years but no one has ever approached them to make them aware and encourage them to participate in Sikh Gurdwara Elections. Another lady said she has been active in the Gurdwara, however, she is not aware of the process and was surprised that she too could cast her vote.”

“We are determined to take this campaign right up to the voting day. Rajouri Garden will be a shining example of how Sangat should participate in Delhi Gurdwara Elections. We will ensure full participation, zero tolerance for bogus votes and streamlining of the processes by interacting with the Directorate of Gurdwara Elections,” said Harneek Singh.

An old hand, who has been monitoring Gurdwara elections for a long time, learning about this effort, said, “This is a much-needed campaign. It is a ray of hope in the all-round atmosphere of hopelessness and despair about Sikh religious and political activism.”

“I hope that this campaign is replicated in all the 46 wards of Delhi. It will surely be a harbinger of change and democratisation of Gurdwara elections.”

“I hope that this campaign is replicated in all the 46 wards of Delhi. It will surely be a harbinger of change and democratisation of Gurdwara elections. I am hopeful that if the campaign is done in a sustained manner, the religio-political scene of Delhi will be different in the times to come,” he said.