Our Bureau
SHILLONG/Nongpoh: Hundreds of passersby at Police Bazar on Friday stopped to witness the National Youth Day event, a road show organised by the Chief Electoral officer and District Election Officer in collaboration with Red FM to create awareness on EVM and VVPAT among youths and first-time voters.
The initiative is spearheaded by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer to call upon young voters and the general public to exercise their democratic rights by getting enrolled and voting.
Red FM RJs hosted the road show by publicly engaging with the floating audience consisting mostly of young people.
The show also witnessed young artistes participating in phawar, music and hip-hop contests by performing their own scores that focused on EVMs and VVPAT.
The songs, which were a mix of positive messages, wit and humour, attracted the crowd despite the afternoon chill.
The winners of the contest were Pynshai Lyngdoh in the phawar category, Jose Thongni in the song category and Yaki Myrthong in the hip-hop category.
The same songs will be aired by Red FM in the coming weeks.
Chief Electoral Officer Frederick Kharkongor said this was one among many SVEEP activities aimed at engaging new voters and the public in general by highlighting the uses of EVMs and VVPATs and explaining how the system will add value to the upcoming elections in the state which will ensure that the whole electoral process is free, fair and transparent.
There were also displays and hands-on demos of EVM and VVPAT machines for the passersby.
A representative of the DC’s office I.Z Wreang spoke about the advantage of EVM-VVPAT machine.
The road show was held on the Mobile Democracy Van – a vehicle loaded with information and educational material.
The SVEEP song Tarak Tak Tak by Summersalt and various other artistes was also played several times to attract passersby.
Blood camps, cleaning drive held
As part of the National Youth Day celebrations in the city, around 150 youths held a procession by carrying messages of Swami Vivekananda to the Raj Bhavan for an intimate interaction with Meghalaya Governor Ganga Prasad on Friday.
Earlier in the morning, the day was marked by the cutting of a birthday cake by the Governor commemorating the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda at a function held at Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda cultural centre. About 300 youths were present at the hall in which Swami Vivekananda had delivered his last public lecture in 1901.
A blood donation camp was also organised by Ramakrishna Mission in collaboration with NEIGRIHMS along with a mini cleaning drive as part of the celebrations.
In Nongpoh, the Prof. Qumrul Hoque School of Education, University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM), organised a programme to mark the day.
Swami Atmasuddhananda, Secretary of Ramakrishna Mission, Guwahati, was the chief guest on the occasion and delivered a talk on ‘Swami Vivekananda and Youth Power’.