The poster parade

The powers that be may tom-tom their elaborate plans to beautify the city and restore its greenery but the one thing that catches your attention as you move  around are posters and banners of politicians hung at strategic locations. The authorities are doing nothing about the proliferating posters and hoardings  displayed on roads, lamp posts, trees and walls and near flyovers as well.

Most of them flaunt a picture of the local MLA, minister or some political heavyweight. Some posters that sprung up during Christmas and New Year continue  to stay on, keeping the forthcoming elections in mind.

The longer the visibility,  the better it is, seems to be the mantra of most politicians. But citizens haven't  taken too well to this. Rajeshwari Roy, a resident of Ejipura, says that the first  thing that greets her every morning when she leaves home is the life-size poster  of a politician. "It is terrible to see these posters in every corner of  the city. More than putting up posters of themselves, I think politicians must focus  on the development of the city's infrastructure," says Rajeshwari. She also  attributes the increase in the number of posters to the forthcoming elections.

"These posters are being put because politicians want people to notice them. Subconsciously, I also think people will remember them because we have seen  the posters so many times," she adds.

Posters and buntings add to the piled up waste in the city, feels Aneeta George, a student of St Joseph's College of Commerce. "Posters hung on electric poles and pasted on walls are an eyesore. I think politicians should find a better way to publicise their work. At a time when efforts are being made to render the city clean, I feel pasting posters not only defaces the city's landscape  but also sends out a wrong message to the people," says Aneeta.

Sahithi P,  another student, adds, "These posters are not useful to the public. It only  benefits a handful of politicians. I don't think people even bother to look at  these posters."

Government officials and politicians will be noticed only if they do good work like providing citizens with better roads and safer spaces, feel Lidwina Lucas and Jessica Y, both students. "I don't connect with  the faces that I see on the posters and I don't even know who they are. Why  should I throw a second glance at them?" wonders Lidwina. She feels the 'poster parade' across the city is an election gimmick. Jessica pitches in, "My vote in the coming elections will not depend on the faces on the posters but on the development carried out for the benefit of citizens by the government."

Sharing a outsider's perspective, Paula Peitrowski, a native of Cologne in Germany who recently relocated to the city for work, says that she has seen life-size posters near her house in the northern part of the city.

"The posters don't  look good. I have always wondered who the faces on the posters are. Are they  famous people or politicians? A similar thing happens in my city whenever there are elections. You have politicians seeking votes through slogans and campaigns printed on posters," concludes Paula.