Bengal SIR: Ailing poet Joy Goswami among 'unmapped' voters; get Jan 2 hearing call
Sahitya Akademi awardee Joy Goswami, a 72-year-old poet, is among Bengal's unmapped voters, summoned for a hearing by the EC. His daughter alleges "pervasive politics of fear" and systemic harassment, questioning the motive behind targeting voters, especially in Bengal, and fears her father, recuperating from surgeries, will be disenfranchised.
Kolkata: Sahitya Akademi awardee and poet Joy Goswami is one of the 32 lakh unmapped voters in Bengal. Two days ago, the 72-year-old poet's wife got a call from the EC, asking him to be present at a hearing.
Goswami, who is recuperating from three surgeries will not attend the scheduled hearing on Jan 2. His daughter is peeved with the "pervasive politics of fear" that is at play to "harass Indian voters in the name of SIR". Bukun, the poet's daughter, described the situation as systemic harassment. "People are living in fear of what will happen next. Fear is the key now but my question is how long will we have to endure this? There should be an end of the pervasive politics of fear that is playing out in our country now to harass Indian voters in the name of SIR.
I believe this is not only about Joy Goswami. It also about other Indians. I do not know if they are disrespecting and harassing people this way because it is Bengal.
They know Bengal doesn't want BJP in power and I can only hazard a guess and say there could be some other agenda behind spreading this fear of being disenfranchised," she said.
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Bukun, who addresses her father as Joy, told TOI that two days back, her mother received a call from EC.
"His name is there in the 2025 voter list. So was mine. The call stated that Joy and I would have to attend a hearing on January 2. Joy didn't have a voter ID card in 2002 and hence, couldn't submit the required documents," she said, adding that she father had exercised his franchise even in 2024. "He has even voted for the Kolkata Dakshin Parliamentary constituency.
His polling station was Jadavpur Girls High School. Since my father's documents were missing, I too have been called.
My mother too didn't have a voter card in 2002. But her mother had and hence, my mother could show that. My father's parents passed away in Ranaghat long back and we don't have those documents," she added. The Goswami family previously lived in Jadavpur before shifting to Salt Lake. "Even after shifting to Salt Lake, we still went to Jadavpur to cast our franchise. This is such a huge harassment for all of us. It is not about my father alone.
For any elderly person, this is so difficult. I have come across reports of how elderly people with asthma and pain in their joints who are finding it hugely difficult to stand in queues and face all this.
My father will not be able to go. He underwent three surgeries in November and is no position to go for a hearing," she added. Medical restrictions currently prevent the poet from travelling. "Travel is a no-no for him. His doctor has strictly said he shouldn't travel where there is any risk of a jerk.