If you want change, go out and vote, say designers

Indian designers are urging youngsters to vote as they believe the participation of youth is capable of changing the fate of the country.

New Delhi, April 14: They are known for their late night parties, flamboyant lifestyles and exquisite creations, but Indian designers say they are equally concerned about good governance. They too are urging youngsters to vote as they believe the participation of youth is capable of changing the fate of the country."Every Indian citizen should vote, especially youngsters, because they are the future of India and to change the system they should exercise their fundamental rights. We all have a tendency to sit back and complain, we should change this attitude because it will lead to zero results," designer Ritu Kumar said.

"This is one time when we can use the power of vote and bring some change in our system. I will vote because I believe that every single vote matters," she said. Designer Leena Singh of designer duo Ashima-Leena too had something similar to say. "The future of the country lies in the hands of youngsters and they can shape the democratic structure by exercising their right to vote." Designers are also appreciating the fact that youngsters are enthusiastic about participating in the voting process that starts April 16. "Never have I seen so much active participation by the youngsters in the voting process. They have always shied away from politics, but the kind of enthusiasm they are showing this time is amazing. It`s just proving a point - no one can take us for granted any more. We want a change," said designer Raghavenda Rathore. "It is the most important fundamental right and the only way to influence the nation`s future. If we don`t use this opportunity, we`ll have to wait for another five years to do the same," he added. Designer Rahul of label Sirali said: "For the past so many years, we have been ruled by a bunch of crooks. We can`t afford to do that any more... "These politicians win because they manage to attract illiterates with their sweet talk - so it`s high time we educated citizens to stand up for our rights and vote. The power of (the) vote is amazing; this is the time when our country needs a graphical change and using this power is the only solution." Bollywood stars like Aamir Khan and John Abraham are lending support to "Lead India" and "Ungli Utha, Vote Kar" campaigns respectively and designer Samant Chauhan says such moves can go a long way in encouraging the maximum number of people to vote. "Being an Indian citizen, it is our responsibility to vote, especially when stars like Aamir Khan and John Abraham too are advocating that (one`s) vote is the most important power an individual can ever have," he said. Rana Gill says it is equally important to vote for the right candidate. "Exercising your vote is important, but voting for the right political leader and understanding party policies are equally important. The most important fact is that one should be aware of all government policies and what they are promising and what they really are capable of delivering," Gill said. "You just can`t vote for a particular party merely because one of its members is your friend. So what`s important is that while voting we should use our brain and not heart," she added. IANS