NEW DELHI: Filmmaker and actress Pooja Bhatt, along with her father, acclaimed director-producer Mahesh Bhatt, cast their votes in Mumbai on Monday. Pooja, who has been vocal about her political views, took to Instagram to share her enthusiasm for the democratic process and to encourage others to vote.
โWalked our talk. Talked our walk! Was thrilled to see a long line at the polling booths at 7 a.m. this morning. Keep it up, Bandra! Keep it up, Mumbai!โ wrote, ending her message with a plea: โPlease go vote. Your voice matters!โ
The voting took place during the fifth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, which started at 7 a.m. and will conclude at 6 p.m.
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Pooja Bhatt has been actively participating in political events, including joining Rahul Gandhiโs Bharat Jodo Yatra, where she walked 15km with him in Hyderabad. In response to claims by BJP leaders that actors are paid to walk with Rahul Gandhi, Pooja quoted Harper Leeโs โTo Kill a Mockingbirdโ to emphasize the importance of personal conscience over majority opinion.
The actor wrote: โTheyโre certainly entitled to think that, and theyโre entitled to full respect for their opinions, but before I can live with other folks, Iโve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesnโt abide by majority rule is a personโs conscience,โ she added, decimating the claims.
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A week before voting, Pooja tweeted about the cityโs issues, criticizing the lack of basic services during the election period. โElection fever in the city is no excuse for basics not being provided to us as a community. Why the apathy? Who cares about promises for the future when the present is such a struggle? Roads are randomly dug up, traffic is chaotic, and now there is no garbage removal either. Mumbai feels orphaned,โ she wrote.
In 2019, Pooja Bhatt shared a video on Twitter encouraging people to vote, calling the collective message from various artists โwise and heartfelt.โ Her recent activities and statements have clearly indicated her support for Rahul Gandhi and his initiatives, removing any doubt about her political stance.
Pooja Bhattโs active participation and vocal support in the political sphere underline her commitment to civic duties and her call for others to engage in the electoral process.
