Pictures courtesy: Debasis Sen
story by Prema Rajaram
Char Madhupursudanpur (Nadia): The name is as obscure as the setting. Char Madhupursudanpur, also commonly referred to as Charjatrasidi, didn't even exist till some decades ago. Tchar or silt-bed emerged from the river Hooghly just over 30 years ago. People spotted the fertile land and a small hamlet sprung up. And stayed that way.
It's not as though the 3,000-odd who inhabit Charjatrasidi were nomads. They were reisdents of Hooghly district but lost their land to erosion as the river changed course more than three decades ago. The land finally emerged in Nadia district jurisdiction and they scrambled to grab it. They did get the land but lost their identity as ration cards and voter ID cards became invalid. Though they did manage to get a new set of ration cards issued, red tape prevented them from voting.
For three decades, their travails have not found mention. But then, how many have heard of Charjatrasidi? In the vast expanse of the state of West Bengal, a hamlet of 3,000 in a mid-river existence is but an obscure dot.
They would, perhaps, have been consigned to oblivion for several years more had not state chief electoral officer (CEO) Debasis Sen heard the voices striving for identity. And he acted promptly, brusing aside red tape and getting the names of 1,260 eligible voters enrolled. Finally, after a wait that's been as long as the Left Front has been in power in the state, the people of Charjatrasidi will trek down to the polling booth and vote.
The electronic photo-identity card (EPIC) has not just returned to them dignity as citizens of India, it has also handed them the right to choose the representative in local elections and ensure that amenities like electricity, water, health and education are delivered. Those settled in towns and cities will, perhaps, never be able to realize the value that an EPIC holds for the common man. Indeed, some would dismiss the delight and gratitude that Charjatrasidi's residents displayed when Sen handed them the EPICs, as foolish. But is it so?
It's not as though the 3,000-odd who inhabit Charjatrasidi were nomads. They were reisdents of Hooghly district but lost their land to erosion as the river changed course more than three decades ago. The land finally emerged in Nadia district jurisdiction and they scrambled to grab it. They did get the land but lost their identity as ration cards and voter ID cards became invalid. Though they did manage to get a new set of ration cards issued, red tape prevented them from voting.
For three decades, their travails have not found mention. But then, how many have heard of Charjatrasidi? In the vast expanse of the state of West Bengal, a hamlet of 3,000 in a mid-river existence is but an obscure dot.
They would, perhaps, have been consigned to oblivion for several years more had not state chief electoral officer (CEO) Debasis Sen heard the voices striving for identity. And he acted promptly, brusing aside red tape and getting the names of 1,260 eligible voters enrolled. Finally, after a wait that's been as long as the Left Front has been in power in the state, the people of Charjatrasidi will trek down to the polling booth and vote.
The electronic photo-identity card (EPIC) has not just returned to them dignity as citizens of India, it has also handed them the right to choose the representative in local elections and ensure that amenities like electricity, water, health and education are delivered. Those settled in towns and cities will, perhaps, never be able to realize the value that an EPIC holds for the common man. Indeed, some would dismiss the delight and gratitude that Charjatrasidi's residents displayed when Sen handed them the EPICs, as foolish. But is it so?
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