Spotlight: SMS war on Kalam for Prez

Mobile users have launched an SMS campaign both backing and opposing President Abdul Kalam’s candidature for a second term. Students rallying behind Dr Kalam’s candidature have threatened to go on a token strike on July 10 to express their solidarity with him.

The pro-Kalam message reads: “Students to strike on July 10 for our President Dr Kalam coz’ we need him as the President once again. Support our leader.” A few hours after the message sent by Kalam supporters, believed to be students, flashed on mobile screens, anti-Kalam messages began to come in too opposing the proposal by the newly-formed United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA). The anti-Kalam message sent by an anthropology student affiliated to Students Federation of India (SFI) read: “Is Kalam non-political? Who sold his name to BJP for its secular mask? Why did not he comment on Ramar Sethu? Is he a scientist? Say no to his second term.”The SMS war that has been on for quite sometime after the UNPA made its decision to support Dr Kalam is intensifying by the day.

Madhan, a student of Anna University where Dr Kalam taught, says, “Though I know that the electoral college is made up of MPs and legislators across the country and it is their vote that counts for the presidential election, we keep forwarding the message to fellow students and others only to tell the country that the student community is behind Dr Kalam.” Contradicting his stand, Kannan of the Democratic Youth Federation of India said, “We just wanted to air our feelings against the opinion of a certain section. And so we hve posed some questions.” Nevertheless, the support for Dr Kalam among the youth is increasing. He himself is learnt to have told the UNPA delegation that his email has been jammed with requests asking him to seek a second term.