111-year-old grandma defies heat, boycott calls to cast ballot

MULCHERA (GADCHIROLI): As poll officials and paramilitary troopers battled blistering heat a little after Friday noon at Mulchera's Govindpur booth in Maoist-infested Gadchiroli, 111-year-old Fulamati Binod Sarkar turned up, taking everyone by surprise. Though there was an option of home voting for the elderly, Fulamati preferred to trudge 300m to the booth from home with grandson Haridas (45).

Fulamati is probably one of India's seniormost citizens who voted in the first phase, defying the heat and Maoist boycott calls in this remote village, 240km off Nagpur. Born on Jan 1, 1913 - as mentioned on her Aadhaar card - Fulamati migrated from Bangladesh's Khulna and settled in Gadchiroli in the sixties. Having lost her husband six decades ago, Fulamati raised her two daughters on her own in Gadchiroli. Though Haridas doesn't recall much about her early days, he said his granny was a fighter all through life. While one daughter died young, Haridas was born to the second, who currently looks after her.

This LS election has seen several citizens above 85 vote from home and Fulamati, too, thought someone would approach her. But when no official came, she decided to head to the booth herself. "It feels wonderful to press the EVM button. I have voted in the past, too," an elated Fulamati said, adding she has no medical complications.

According to Haridas, poll officials ensured Fulamati didn't have to queue up. "Our family believes every vote counts and my grandma signified citizen's empowerment through voting," said Haridas. "My grandmother votes in every election," said Haridas.

He recalled her grandmother's struggle with Bangladeshi refugees, who were first moved to a camp in Chandrapur in 1968 and then to Gadchiroli two years later.

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