In the lush, forested hills of Wayanad, a unique electoral rhythm is cutting through the December chill. As the state gears up for polls, remote tribal colonies are tuning into a powerful, familiar message in their own languages, urging them to make their vote count.
Radio Waves Reach Where Others Cannot
Across scattered tribal homes, the crackle of small transistor radios has become a soundtrack for democratic participation. Radio Mattoli, Kerala's pioneering community radio service, has launched a hyperlocal awareness drive targeting nearly one lakh tribal voters in the district. The campaign features clear messages recorded in native tribal dialects like Paniya, Kattunayikka, and Ravula, alongside Malayalam.
"In these remote areas, where even political party campaigns struggle to reach effectively, radio waves can penetrate," explains Fr Bijo Thomas Karukappally, the station director of Radio Mattoli. He emphasizes that the station is interspersing its regular programming with these special messages to explain the importance of every single vote. The team hopes that hearing advocacy in their mother tongue will encourage tribal community members to visit their polling stations on December 11.
Beyond Mobilization: Highlighting Local Issues
The initiative goes beyond simple voter turnout calls. The community FM station is also airing special election programs that focus on various panchayats and local bodies. These segments are designed to highlight people's issues and aspirations, topics that deserve attention in broader campaign debates. Furthermore, Radio Mattoli is running a parallel campaign encouraging listeners to participate in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, ensuring no eligible voter is left out.
This is not the first time Radio Mattoli has undertaken such a mission. The station has conducted similar voter awareness campaigns in previous election cycles. Their efforts seem to resonate on the ground. Many tribal areas in Wayanad have historically recorded high polling percentages. A notable example is the Kurichiad settlement, located deep within the forest, which achieved an impressive 100% voter turnout during the 2019 general election.
A Station Rooted in Community Service
Established in 2009 and managed by the NGO Wayanad Social Service Society, Radio Mattoli has grown into a vital local institution. Its broadcast covers approximately 83% of the Wayanad district, boasting an estimated listenership of around 3 lakh people. To ensure access, a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative facilitated the distribution of 6,000 radio sets to tribal households and other marginalized groups, including bedridden patients.
The focus on tribal communities is crucial for Wayanad's democratic landscape. According to the 2011 census, the district is home to about 1.5 lakh tribal residents, constituting 18.5% of its total population. Reflecting this demographic significance, two of Wayanad's three assembly segments are reserved for scheduled tribe candidates. Radio Mattoli's dialect-driven campaign is thus a targeted effort to strengthen the democratic voice of a key segment of Kerala's society.
