Trauma among Malda voters rises as deleted names still receive BJP calls
Struck-off voters allege distress as automated calls from Prime Minister’s voice reach them despite exclusion from rolls
Qalam Times News Network
Malda , April 14, 2026
Trauma continues to haunt several voters in West Bengal’s Malda district after their names were removed from electoral rolls, yet they received automated campaign calls allegedly featuring the voice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging support for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Residents like Suraiya and Rubiya Khatun from Malda described the experience as deeply unsettling. Despite being excluded from the voter list, the sisters said they received recorded calls asking for their votes. This contradiction, they explained, intensified their distress during an already uncertain time.
The sense of Trauma was echoed by Mahatabuddin, an Arabic teacher from Harishchandrapur. His name had been removed during a recent revision of the voter list. Shortly after, he received a recorded message encouraging electoral participation in favor of the BJP. He expressed frustration, saying such outreach felt insensitive given his disenfranchisement, and he chose to block the number immediately.
Another resident, Ziaur Rahman, shared a similar account. He noted that while the call urged him to vote, there was no mechanism to respond or express his grievances. Rahman highlighted the emotional toll of his family’s experience, revealing that five members, including himself and his wife, had faced adjudication before their names were eventually reinstated in a supplementary list.
For Suraiya and Rubiya, however, the situation remains unresolved. Both in their early thirties, they described the removal of their names as frightening and destabilizing. Receiving political calls under such circumstances, they said, felt like a cruel reminder of their helplessness rather than an invitation to participate in democracy.
Political reactions have also surfaced. District Trinamool Congress president Abdur Rahim Boxi criticized the outreach, calling it another example of hollow promises. He contrasted it with his party’s “Didike Bolo” initiative, which allows direct communication with leadership, arguing that the BJP’s approach lacks genuine engagement.
On the other hand, BJP MP from Maldaha Uttar, Khagen Murmu, defended the campaign strategy. He stated that the party aims to reach all communities, including minorities, and emphasized that the Prime Minister’s message reflects inclusivity. According to him, the response to such calls has been encouraging.
The incident has sparked broader concerns about electoral processes, communication ethics, and the emotional impact on citizens caught between administrative decisions and political campaigning.
