Bantwal: Umapati (73) cycling to urge people vote compulsorily in upcoming general elections

Bellevision Media Network

Bantwal, 01 Apr: A seventy-three-year-old man who peddles his bicycle across the nation, covered 38,680 kilometers so far, with a mission to eradicate corruption in the  nation, ban cow slaughter, for linking Cauvery & Godavari rivers, arrived here on Saturday, March 30, on his way from Shivamogga to Bengaluru, with an addition to create general awareness on casting compulsory votes in the coming general elections that was his second voting mission for Lok Sabha polls.

 

He is untiringly pedals his bicycle that has national flag, placards for compulsory voting and Swacch Bharat. He is none other than Umapati Mudaliar, a native of Malekallu Tirupati in Arasikere taluk of Hassan district. His father Appaswamy was a freedom fighter that he had inherited to wage struggle.

 

He followed the advice of his ailing father to do something for the society; he embarked on his bicycle campaign from Gandhi Bhavan, Bengaluru on October 2, 2001, to create awareness on AIDS, H1N1, alcohol-ban, anti smoking, anti smoking and other issues. He also met PM in New Delhi to present his views.

 

 

He has covered 27 districts of Karnataka, 11 states of India and visited 56,050 schools in his mission.

 

He has so far bagged 16 golds, 8 silvers and 8 bronzes in both state and national athletic meet held from 2008 to 2016.

 

He took his first mission in creating voters awareness in Hassan district during general elections held in 2014. Meanwhile, he began his mission to urge voters for compulsory voting in the upcoming general elections on his bicycle starting from Shivamogga. He will journey through Dakshina Kannada district – Hassan – Tumakuru and reach Bengaluru, where he would meet electioneering officers to share his views. He hopes to get voting rights to thousands of prisoners languishing in prisons across the nation and for those in-patients in different hospitals, said Umapati.

 

He is an ideal person with helpful nature, hailing from a poor family. He has no home to call his own. He lives in rented accommodation. He fostered an orphaned girl and settled her in life, besides caring for a mentally-challenged girl. He is an electrician by profession. He works for 9 months and goes on bicycle campaign for 3 months highlighting worthy issues.

 

He had difficulty while explaining his issues with PM in Hindi. He emphasizes equal importance to Kannada, English and Hindi in school curriculum. 

 

The then DC of Hassan - Ashwattanarayan had given him a free mobile handset in 2006 that is now out of order and needs one replacement if a donor hands him.  

 

Delli Kannada Sangh felicitated Umapati in 2011 and handed him video camera. Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade has also supported him with financial help. 

 

He says, ‘Accepting money to cast ones vote is like selling his own mother.’ He hopes for 100 percent voters’ turnout in the coming general elections.

 

He has nearly certificates weighing nearly 28 kilograms and pictures weighing about 10 kilograms in the carrier of his bicycle.

 

He urged all the people to cast their votes without fail in the upcoming general elections.