BJP chief urges youth to uphold democracy on National Voters’ Day

Hyderabad: Onthe occasion of National Voters’ Day, the BJP Telangana unit organised a special meeting at the party’s state office on Sunday.

After honouring the newly enrolled voters, particulary young voters casting their ballot or the first time, President N Ramchander Rao called the young voters to uphold democracy by casting their votes as a sacred responsibility.

Rao reminded participants that the Election Commission of India was established on January 25, 1951, which is why the day is celebrated as National Voters’ Day. He stressed that voting is not only a fundamental right but also a civic duty.

Quoting the phrase “Ballot is stronger than bullet,” he underlined the transformative power of democracy. Rao cited examples such as Abraham Lincoln, once a shoemaker, becoming the US President, and a tea seller rising to India’s Prime Minister, as evidence of the ballot’s strength in shaping leadership.

He recalled attempts in history to undermine India’s Constitution and democracy, including the Emergency under Indira Gandhi, but noted that citizens always restored democratic values through elections.

Rao urged young voters to recognise their role in safeguarding democracy, stressing that the right to question authority comes only after exercising the right to vote. He criticised educated elites, who debate governance but fail to vote, pointing out declining turnout among educated citizens as a worrying trend.

Warning against divisive forces in some universities and neighbouring countries, he emphasised that India’s unity must be protected through democratic means, not violence or terrorism.