Varanasi: In a bizarre case that has sparked political debate and online buzz, the name of Swami Ramkamal Das — founder of Ram Janaki Temple at Gurudham — appears in the voter list as the “father” of 50 men. The spiritual leader is a celibate monk.
The list, which has gone viral on social media, shows the “youngest son” as 28-year-old Raghvendra and the “eldest” as 72-year-old Banwari Das. Uttar Pradesh Congress pounced on the irregularity, accusing the Election Commission of turning a blind eye to “open fraud”.
On X, UP Congress posted: “See another miracle of the Election Commission in Varanasi! In the voter list, one person ‘Rajkamal Das’ is recorded as having 50 sons! Will the EC dismiss this as a mere error or accept that brazen manipulation is underway? This is not just vote theft from Banaras, but a robbery of democracy itself.”
The post triggered a flurry of reactions, though the State Election Commission says there is no violation of rules. Officials clarified that the list in circulation is from 2023 and pertains to polling booth 206 at Kanya Primary & Upper Primary School, Shankuldhara, Kashmiri Ganj. In entries from serial number 234 to 285, the “father’s name” column lists Ramkamal Das.