When poll duty coincided with Ahoi fast for mothers
CHANDIGARH:As voters across 19,578 polling stations walked in on Monday to vote and decide which party will rule Haryana for the next five years, what went unnoticed were mothers on poll duty who were also observing the dawn-to-dusk Ahoi fast without a drop of water.
The polling in the state coincided with Ahoi Ashtami when Haryanvi mothers in the state fast for the well-being and long life of their children. They don’t drink even water till twilight or until stars are visible. They break the day long fast in the evening after performing pooja.
“We are strong enough to do our duty even while fasting,” Rekha Rani, who was presiding officer at Karnal’s booth number 68, said, pointing out that she would be able to break her fast after reaching home late in the evening. Sushila, another woman on poll duty at booth number 66, was observing this fast for the first time. “We are on duty on Ahoi, but it’s a good experience. We are performing our duty for our country and children as well,” Sushila said.
Similarly, the women police officers were also fasting. Security officer Parvesh Kumari at Pratap Public School in Karnal says, “I am on fast for the first time for my son and I will remain on duty till 9pm. After finishing duty, I will go to my home in Yamunanagar and end the fast.”
In Rohtak, Shashi, a high school headmistress and in-charge of a booth, reached the polling booth at 5am. “I am fasting… but a we have to fulfil duty even if we are fasting,” she said. Anita, a teacher, deployed at ‘only for women’ booth in Rohtak, said she was enjoying duty even though she was fasting.