How Bangladesh’s ‘animals’ are encouraging people to vote in this election

This election season, Bengal’s animals encourage people to exercise their right to vote

Kolkata:

From ‘Gendu’ to ‘Baghu’ – This election season, Bengal’s animals are encouraging people to exercise their democratic rights besides guiding them at polling booths.

District election departments across the state are using a variety of mascots, most of them animals, to attract voters to the polls.

Alipurduar district has designed ‘Gendu’ for this purpose, inspired by the rhinoceros of Dooars. In Cooch Behar district, there is a turtle named “Mohanbao” who guides people at the polling booths.

Bengal Tiger ‘Baghu’ urged the people of South 24 Parganas district, where the Sunderbans are located, not to miss the opportunity to participate in the democratic process. In the mountains of Darjeeling, a red panda does just that.

“Our campaign highlights Bengal’s rich cultural diversity and aims to motivate voters to participate in the electoral process,” an election official said.

“Instead of using formal language, we are trying to reach voters with characters that are closer to their hearts. We believe the effect will be better,” she added.

Jalpaiguri district’s election mascot is ‘Teesta’, a girl named after the river, the lifeline of the district. In the Kolkata North constituency, the fictitious resident of Potodanga district, “Tunida”, inspired first-time voters to exercise their franchise.

Nadia’s “Vote Gopal” mascot is based on Gopal Bal, the immortal court jester of medieval Bengal. Cartoon character ‘Batur the Great’ is encouraging voters in Howrah, the birthplace of his creator Narayan Denath.

In the coastal district of Purba Medinipur, a crab-like figure is boosting voter turnout, while in Hooghly, Mahesh’s Jagannath Rath is accompanying the Election Commission on billboards and Messages conveyed to voters on posters.

‘Ghotoknath’, themed around Bankura’s famous terracotta warriors, urges people to vote besides reminding people of the region’s cultural heritage.

Anjana Brahma, professor of Bengali at KK Das College, Kolkata, said: “Such initiatives not only create awareness among people about the elections but also about the heritage, culture and natural resources of their area .”

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