IF RAJAGOPAL CAN BE REMOVED, ANYONE CAN

The ordeal faced by senior journalist and former The Telegraph Editor R. Rajagopal is deeply disturbing and raises serious questions about the credibility of the electoral verification process. Here is a citizen who has lived in India for decades, served the profession of journalism with distinction, exercised his democratic rights, and contributed significantly to public discourse, yet he now finds himself struggling to prove his place in the voters’ list. If a respected journalist of Rajagopal’s stature, with a well documented public life and established credentials, can be removed from electoral records and face difficulties in accessing essential civic rights, it reflects a grave failure of the system.

This case is not merely about one individual but about the protection of democratic rights guaranteed to every citizen. When a person whose identity, professional achievements, and public contributions are beyond dispute is compelled to establish his legitimacy before the authorities, it exposes the dangers of administrative arbitrariness and flawed verification processes. The authorities must immediately rectify this injustice, restore his rights, and ensure that no citizen is denied democratic participation because of bureaucratic errors or procedural excesses.

Mohammad Shafi
National Vice President
Social Democratic Party of India.