Calcutta: On the birth anniversary of the architect of the Constitution, a protest at Esplanade condemned what speakers called a “brazen violation” of the founding document in the contentious revision of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bengal.
“Our vote is not your mercy, it is our right,” read several posters at the gathering outside the headquarters of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation on Tuesday. A collective of rights organisations formed to protect voting rights issued the call.
April 14 marks the birth anniversary of politician and social reformer Dr B.R. Ambedkar.
“We chose this day because Ambedkar drafted a Constitution that guarantees equal rights and dignity. Deleting citizens’ names from electoral rolls without due process goes against everything he stood for,” said Sajidh Ahmed, one of the organisers.
Several people at the gathering said they were anxious and confused after finding their names struck off the rolls despite submitting documents.
Rizwanul Haque, 39, an assistant professor in the Arabic department at Aliah University, said his name was deleted without any hearing.
“I was not even called. I have eight siblings; two of my younger sisters were summoned for a hearing because we are more than six siblings. Is that even a valid reason to strike off our names?” he asked.
“My father was a pension holder of the Bengal government. All of us have submitted documents, and many of us are government employees. Then how can our names be deleted?” said Haque, who used to be a voter in Malda.
He added that the lack of clarity around the tribunal process has deepened the uncertainty.
“I have applied online, but how it will function is still unclear,” he said.
Some of those deleted are from the extreme margins.
Rashita Bibi, 45, who lives below the Gariahat flyover, said her name was deleted on April 6.
“I was called for a hearing. I submitted my Aadhaar card, voter ID and PAN card, but my name was still deleted. I have lived here since birth — what am I supposed to do now?” she said.
Bibi said she applied to a tribunal online on April 8 with the help of a well-wisher.
“I don’t know how it works or what it even means. We do not earn enough to fight this. I am very worried as I don’t know what will happen next,” said Bibi, a rag picker.
More than 27 lakh names have been removed from the revised electoral rolls after adjudication.
Protest songs were an
integral part of the afternoon, interspersed between
speeches.
“Mone rekho juddho kore rokto diye desh peyechhi.... Desh banchate rokto dite raaji achhi. Bhoy dekhiye hobe na are kaam... oh commission. (Remember, we have fought and shed blood to get this country. To save it, we are prepared to shed more. Election Commission, you cannot intimidate us),” sang
Bonhihotri Hazra and Sourav Das, who are part of a band called Aprachalito.
Nandita Roy, an IIM Calcutta teacher whose name has been deleted from the electoral rolls, was one of the speakers. “Why this tearing hurry in conducting the SIR?” she asked.
Riyaz Ahmed, a member of the madrasa students’ union, said citizens must lead the fight to protect voting
rights.
“Voters come before votes. Millions have lost their vote, but political parties are busy campaigning,” he said.