Dholak Virtuoso Mir Haji Kasam Honored with Padma Shri Amid Electoral Roll Dispute
In a remarkable turn of events, Mir Haji Kasam, a celebrated 74-year-old dholak artist from Junagadh, Gujarat, has been conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri award. This honor comes just days after his name became embroiled in a controversy involving objections raised by a BJP leader regarding its inclusion in the state's electoral roll.
Congress Party Demands Legal Action Against BJP Corporator
The Congress party has seized upon this issue, with Lalit Pansara, the Leader of Opposition in the Junagadh Municipal Corporation, publicly displaying a copy of 'Form 7' filed by BJP corporator Sanjay Manvara. At a press conference held in Junagadh on Tuesday, Pansara vehemently demanded stringent legal measures against the BJP leader for what he described as a defamatory act against a respected community figure.
"Haji Ramakdu is a noted and respectable person in Junagadh as a talented 'dholak vadak'," Pansara stated emphatically. "The Centre has announced his name and honoured him with the Padma Shri award two days ago. He is the pride of Junagadh, Gujarat, and India, having performed over 3,000 shows nationally and internationally. The move by BJP councillor Sanjay Manvara to object to the names of Hajibhai and his family members is utterly condemnable."
Details of the Electoral Roll Objection
Earlier, on January 13, BJP corporator Sanjay Manvara submitted Form 7 under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise to the Election Commission. He objected to the inclusion of Haji Rathod (another name for Mir Haji Kasam) and his family in the electoral rolls, citing "absent/permanently shifted" as the reason. This objection targeted not only Kasambhai but also four of his family members: Ikbal Rathod, Ejaz, Rashidaben, and Hanifbhai.
Manvara defended his actions, explaining, "I objected to the name of Hajibhai Rathod mentioned in the voter list. Hajibhai's name on his Aadhar card was Hajibhai Mir; the Padma Shri list announced by the Centre also said 'Hajibhai Mir'. His name on the voting list is Hajibhai Rathod, and no one by that name was found at the said address, so I was confused. Now it is up to the administration department to verify whether Hajibhai Rathod is the same person as Hajibhai Mir alias Hajibhai Ramakdu."
Mir Haji Kasam's Emotional Response and Pride
Expressing his feelings about the controversy, the septuagenarian artist said, "I am heartbroken by such an incident. I came across this on Tuesday afternoon through some viral media clips. I have no ill-will towards the person who has objected. We all possess important documents like Aadhaar card, voter ID card, PAN card, and passports, and we are ready to present them when required by authorities."
Despite the turmoil, Kasambhai's joy over the Padma Shri recognition was palpable. "I am delighted that the Government of India has honored me. There are no words to express my happiness. I would like to clarify that our surname is 'Rathod' and 'Mir' is our sub-caste," he added, shedding light on the nomenclature confusion.
Political and Administrative Developments
In a significant administrative gesture, Junagadh District Collector Anil Ranavasiya contacted Kasambhai on Tuesday afternoon to inform him that Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel would meet him on Wednesday. "The Collector told me that CM Patel will visit the Junagadh Agricultural University ground for an event, during which I have been invited and will be felicitated. It will be a moment of great honor for me," Kasambhai shared enthusiastically.
The Congress party's state unit spokesperson, Manish Doshi, further amplified the issue by posting an image of Form 7 on social media platform X. Pansara accused BJP councillors of systematically targeting voters from a particular community under the SIR exercise in the Junagadh Municipal Corporation, alleging that thousands of forms have been submitted in bulk to object to names from specific communities.
As of Tuesday, Junagadh Collector Anil Ranavasiya was unavailable for comment on the matter. The juxtaposition of a national honor with a local electoral dispute underscores the complex interplay between cultural recognition and political dynamics in Gujarat.
