News Tamil Nadu

“You Can Be Outstation Or For Work Or Sick, We Can Vote Online Also”: Alleged Actress Jyothika Gives Reasons For Not Voting

May 3, 2024
The Commune

Social media rejoices the recent inquiry made by a news reporter during actress Jyotika visit to Chennai for her film’s promotion. Reporters asked her why she hadn’t voted, and her response to the question surprised everyone and garnered widespread attention on social media, sparking memes and ridicule.

Actress Jyothika, during a media interaction for her film’s promotion, She was queried about her absence from the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections despite her known advocacy for social responsibility. She was surprised and slightly puzzled, not anticipating that someone would raise such a question. Addressing this, she blabbered that voting is a private matter and cited reasons such as being out of town or unwell. She emphasized the existence of online voting and the need to respect individuals’ privacy.

The reporter inquired, “You are talking about social awareness, Jyotika madam is an influence on everyone, when an election comes, you are criticized by many that you don’t come to vote, What’s your opinion and answer?”

Actress Jyothika immediately replied, “I vote year after year, sometimes...”, Before she could finish, the reporter interjected, reminding her that voting occurs once every five years. Jyothika quickly corrected herself, saying,”Yes, five years, I’m sorry. Sometimes, you can be outstation, sometimes for work, we can be out. We can be sick. It is like a private thing. Sometimes, you are not there always in town. So, I don’t know, Sometimes, privately also we vote. It is also in online right. Its not always every time, everything is publicized. There is a private side to life. I think we also have to respect that and give that space.” 

Another journalist mentioned that despite Jyothika’s firm stance on social issues, is she has idea of venturing into politics where she could potentially wield more influence, Jyothika clarified that she hadn’t received any invitations from political parties. Regarding the possibility of accepting such invitations, she firmly stated her current focus on family, particularly her children’s education and her personal fitness journey, indicating no inclination towards political involvement at present.

Netizens were taken aback by actress Jyothika’s response when she mentioned the presence of online voting in the Indian election system. They began to mock and ridicule her for her comment as the Election Commission of India (ECI) has made inclusion of home voting only for elderly citizens and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This marks the inaugural implementation of such a provision in a national election. This service is accessible to individuals aged 85 and older, as well as PwDs meeting the 40 percent benchmark for disability. Since she wasn’t anticipating the question from anyone directly, she seemed to stutter when it was posed to her.

Indeed, in Tamil Nadu, it’s often the case that individuals woke and support the DMK go unchallenged. However, the recent scrutiny directed towards actress Jyotika for her deliberate absence on voting day has defied this norm. While her husband Suriya participated in the voting process on April 19th, it was widely speculated that Jyotika’s absence was due to her filming commitments. However, she later revealed through a post on the same day that she was actually on a trip to Nepal, sparking criticism and questioning from various quarters.

Netizens expressed frustration as actor couple Suriya and Jyothika, who were previously vocal about various societal issues connecting everything to Hindu faith and practices faced criticism. Jyothika’s earlier call to divert funds from temple renovation to support education and healthcare for the less privileged had sparked debate. Similarly, Suriya, recognized for his selective activism, particularly during the AIADMK government, faced scrutiny when questioned about Jyothika’s absence during voting but chose to stay silent. This fueled speculation and disillusionment among onlookers, especially after videos of her trekking in Nepal went viral.

A netizen commented, “Jyothika went on a pleasure trip to Nepal to celebrate the election as a holiday. But the sermon is only for the town”

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