Kalinga Times Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, March 17: Noted actor Nandita Das, who is making her directorial debut with the film Firaaq this week, has extended her support to the All India People's Manifesto campaign which is bringing together local groups across 365+ parliamentary constituencies of India to identify their priorities for the national elections.

“Such initiatives are important because even the smallest action goes a long way in contributing to the change that we want to see in society,” said Nandita.

"The first step for the youth to take is to start voting. People, irrespective of their background and places need to start talking about issues and working towards that change that they see. Otherwise one will just miss that opportunity.”

The online version of the All India People's Manifesto campaign (www.youtube.com/wadanatodo), which aims at motivating young people to add their voice to the ground level process, has already recorded over 50,000 views and is currently rated as the 19th Most Watched channel on You Tube. The initiative is also being promoted by You Tube India as a Featured Video on their homepage.

"I want the government to uphold the pluralist secular democracy that we are and to ensure that there is no discrimination and no human rights violations,” she said, outlining the agenda that she wants the next government to commit to.

Making linkages with her new film Firaaq, she said, "The film is a response about everything happening around us; the discrimination, the human rights violations, divisions, the prejudice, the growing fear and anger. I hope the film will start a dialogue and that all of us are able to engage in it."