On 7th May, New Delhi–the National capital of the world’s largest democracy–went to polls. Voters turned up in large numbers at the polling booths to excercise their right and in the process elect the government of their choice.
The polls this time in India were even more interesting for campaigning saw the use of every mode of communication. Notable among these were mobile smses and the use of Internet, especially targeting the youth. Google ads placed on most Indian sites talked of a strong(er) leader of opposition who deserves to be the Prime Minsiter. Google itself partnered with a leading national daily to make useful information about candidates and the polling process, available to users in classic Google ‘info at the click of a mouse’ style.
Even as the entire election process unfolded, some of us have been planning of a Rally for Forests which was at the back of our minds even as we cast our votes. The elections will see a new government being formed at the Center, or the older one refreshed. None of these parties talked about a clear green agenda in their campaign. Not many of them talked about saving our forests or the natural resources and even fewer (if any) talked about the threat of a global climate change.
It if for this reason that a massive 10,000+ rally is being planned at the India Gate on the 24th of July this year, to lobby for forests and to get across the message to the political galleries–of the urgency of the situation and the need to act today, and act in the right direction. The event will also be a pre-cursor to the global October 24th call for the International Day of Climate Action. Media, eminent personalities, political figures, citizens, students, children all would come out and demand a Right to Future. And in the process, generate the political will to act, among the elected members who would by then be working to frame the policies and practices towards good governance.