National Voters' Day: Put "The Need to Vote" on top of your bucket-lists, says Kamal Haasan to India's youth

Braced for an electoral bow in the upcoming elections, Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan has made an impassioned appeal to the youth of Tamil Nadu to exercise their franchise and vote.

Taking to Twitter on the occasion of National Voters' Day the actor-turned-politician has issued a three-part post about the importance of voting, thereby also giving a glimpse into his focus areas.

Kamal Haasan says that voting gives us the opportunity to sculpt our future and destiny and must be done with responsibility.

Focusing on the youth, he adds that they always have a 'bucket-list', and opines that they must put voting at the very top of the list. Speaking about himself in this regard, he appears to chastise himself for not giving it top priority. However, he adds that some of his friends wouldn't even vote, highlighting that travails now are something of an outcome of that.

Again addressing the youth, Kamal Haasan says that it is them on whom the onus of fighting corruption and bringing about a new politiculture rests, and it is only if they have purpose will a powerful India be built.

In December 2018 the Makkal Needhi Maiam had resolved that it would be contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and that it would be willing to join hands with like-minded parties that are against corruption and are focused on making Tamil Nadu a progressive state.

In the same month, while participating in a panel discussion alongside union minister Smriti Irani on the topic of 'Political narrative for 2019' at the Republic Summit, Kamal Haasan had declined to be grouped alongside the Mahagathbandhan (which has taken a more defined though fragmented shape since then). He had said:

"I’m not ready to be forced into an alliance. I am keeping my options open. Don’t align me with the Mahagatbandhan." 

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He has also ruled out allying with the DMK, despite having met DMK ally Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, and also earlier on a few occasions. 

National Voters' day has been observed on every January 25th since 2011. The date marks the Election Commission's foundation day. 

A number of politicians and others have joined in with Kamal Haasan in Tweeting about the say's significance:

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has tweeted:

Celebrated sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has created a beautiful sand frieze:

Union Minister Babul Supriyo has tweeted:

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee:

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad as well:

Union Minister Smriti Irani: