This story is from April 21, 2009

Vote’s the matter?

Roshni Mukherjee / TNN / Apr 21, 2009, 00:57 IST

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

As netas and Bollywood biggies make no bones about the importance of voting, CT finds out how celebs with no or misplaced voter ID cards plan to exercise their fundamental right.....

It��s all about getting to flaunt the dot. After all, angule dot toh apni hot goes the claim. And why should it be otherwise?
With the polls pulling the crowd attention, putting the right slip in the ballot box tops all concerns. Even the Bollywood biggies are hell-bent on making a big bang in the print and electronic media about the importance of voting.But what do you do if you have the will but there��s no way out to exercise your fundamental right?
Swastika Mukherjee is keen to vote but she can��t. ��None of my family members �� my dad, mom, sister or myself have the voter ID card,�� says the actor, while adding, ��There have been a couple of times when the concerned persons have asked for the necessary documents in order to get the voter ID card done. We have provided them with a photocopy of the ration card and other essential documents but to no avail. So, even if I want to vote, I have no choice.��
Ask her if she never followed up on the case and Swastika answers, ��With our busy work schedules taking up a major chunk of our time, it becomes extremely difficult to pursue the matter. And moreover, I cannot ask my mother to do the running around.��

Meanwhile, Siddhartha Ray and Anindya Chattopadhyay, members of the band brigade are ready to cast their votes armed with their respective passports. Says Sidhu, frontman Cactus, ��I have misplaced my voter ID card nearly six months back. This time, I intend to carry my passport along as identity proof when I go to vote.��
The singer adds that he had seen the Anandababu hoardings but due to his commitments, he could never manage the time to get another card. On a more humourous note Sidhu comments on his earlier ��hilarious�� voter ID card photograph, ��I looked like a pickpocket who has been put behind bars and was released after two-and-a-half months. Mone hoye chhara paoar je khushi seta dhora porechhe chhobitar modhye.��

Anindya, frontman Chandrabindoo, too gives a peek into his humourous bent when he says, ��The voter ID picture invariably turns out to be different from the real person. The picture in my card used to look like a gurugombhir gonotantrik ek manush je desher voter jonno boliprodotto.�� Unfortunately though, the singer has misplaced the card and hopes ��to exercise my fundamental right with my passport, this time.��
He points out how there is a time allotted to get one��s picture taken and do the needful to procure a voter ID card. ��Sadly, on two such occasions I was out of station. I think this voter ID card is like an identity card and it is essential for every person to have the same,�� stresses Anindya.Here��s hoping the enthusiasts can make their dotted presence felt.

About the Author

Roshni Mukherjee

Roshni Mukherjee is chief copy editor-cum-correspondent at Calcutta Times. Her work includes editing and writing. She writes primarily on Tollywood. Films are an area of interest for her – she likes to catch up on the latest, whether it's Tollywood or Bollywood. Good music and any books that make for an interesting read will find a taker in her.

End of Article