UDAIPUR: A typical modernday tribal youth dons sunglasses, wears a colourful kurta and always carries a mobile in his hand. Apart from this, he also inspires people to vote. This fictional delegate ‘Gotiyo’ is gaining wide popularity among the tribal population in Banswara district these days. Not only the rural people, but even the urban populace seems to have clicked with this imaginary character, so much so, that people are finding it fun to click selfies with Gotiyo and reading out his satirical messages on voting.Gotiyo is the brainchild of the district administration and has been specially designed and created for increasing awareness among voters by educating them to cast their votes responsibly.“Nothing is more integral to democracy than voting and the voters should be educated to exercise their power fairly. Gotiyo literally meaning ‘friend’, and is like a true companion advising people to participate in the largest festival of democracy,” informs Kamlesh Sharma, deputy director, department of public relations, Banswara. The cartoon character has been designed by a budding cartoonist from the city, Ashish Sharma, who gave a modern look to the desi character, with cool glasses on his smiling face, a bright red turban and yellow kurta with white dhoti.More than 5,000 Gotiyo stickers have been issued, which have been pasted on public transport vehicles as well as roadways buses. The character's cut-outs have been put up at various junctions and prime circles in and around the city, with messages on fair voting and understanding the EVMs and VVPAT mechanism. A selfie point also has been set up at the collectorate premises where the common public is being encouraged to click selfies with Gotiyo and post over the social media to spread the message.Gotiyo’s messages have been taken out in a series called ‘Aye Hamro’ which means ‘Hey, listen’, where Gotiyo advices people not to sell their votes in lieu of alcohol or money temptation. “On the voting day, men dressed up as Gotiyo would be made to stand outside each adarsh matdaan kendra to encourage and attract people to cast their votes,” Sharma said.

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