The fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections which was held on Monday in Mumbai, saw a large number of Mumbaikars stepping out to vote. The enthusiasm was so much that even a hospitalised man from Andheri went for voting.
According to DNA, 87-year-old Vinayak Kelkar, a resident of Andheri and retired rail employee, was admitted to Jeevan Vikas Kendra Hospital in Andheri on April 21. He was suffering from diabetic foot, blood pressure, and hernia. He was shifted to the intensive care unit on April 23 for a few days. After his condition became stable, he was shifted to the general ward. But even after being in the hospital and still recovering Kelkar refused to skip voting. Instead of resting he asked his family to book an ambulance and take him to the poll booth.
Manisha Kelkar, daughter-in-law of Vinayak Kelkar told the leading daily, “The hospital gave us an hour’s permission. We called arranged for an ambulance and took him to the poll booth that was around 10 minutes away from the hospital.” Vinayak Kelkar’s family has said that he never gave voting a miss. Manisha added, “He wants to be a responsible citizen. When he worked with railways, he was appointed as an election officer, and had been on election duty several times.” According to Vinayak, not voting is a crime. And despite being on a wheelchair from past two years, during BMC election he went to vote.
