The Common Man’s Vote for a ₹500 Note

-- By Ojaswita Palkar

“A vote is priceless, but sometimes it’s sold for a snack or a day’s relief.”

Money, Votes, and the Common Man

Honestly, democracy sounds super cool in theory. Everyone gets to pick leaders, and your vote is supposed to matter. But in real life? It’s messy.

Elections Be Like… Money, Liquor, and Freebies

During election time, it’s not just speeches and promises. Parties literally hand out ₹500 or ₹2000, booze, free food, and groceries. And yeah, it’s mostly just before voting day. Everyone knows it’s shady, but somehow, it still happens every time.

Why People Take It

Life is already a struggle. No proper safety, dirty water, broken roads, and air so bad your lungs scream. AQI’s high, bills are high, and jobs? Don’t even start.

So when someone hands over ₹500, people think: “Okay, at least today is good. At least my family eats well.” It doesn’t fix life, but hey, one day of relief feels nice.

Does That ₹500 Actually Decide the Vote?

Technically, nah. Voting is secret, no one can force you. But emotions are tricky. After taking money, food, or booze, people feel pressured, guilty, or kinda obligated. Free choice? Slowly disappears.

How Democracy Gets Messed Up

When elections depend on freebies:

• Streets feel unsafe

• No clean drinking water

• Roads stay trashed

• Air pollution keeps rising, AQI through the roof

• Industries fund parties, so pollution gets ignored

• Corruption becomes “normal”

• 
  

Quick Rules to Remember

Some easy rules so you don’t get played:

1. No Money – Don’t take cash

2. No Liquor – Don’t take alcohol

3. No Food – Don’t take free meals

4. No Gifts – Don’t take freebies

5. Abbreviation: NLNFV ✅Just remember this, and you won’t fall for vote-bribes.

6. Feeling Helpless, But That ₹500 Feels Good

7. Most people know it’s wrong, but they feel powerless. So when ₹500 comes, they think: “System won’t change, but at least today is good.” Totally relatable, but this is exactly what slowly kills democracy.

   
   

8.  Conclusion

Elections shouldn’t be about money, booze, food, or freebies. It should be about clean air, safe roads, clean water, and a better future. A vote is worth way more than ₹500. If people actually vote thinking long term