At least 15,000 voters of 19 different villages in Bokaro decided to boycott the lok Sabha poll. Far from the development, these villages lacks with several basic amenities like drinking water, road connectivity, health, education and employment facilities.
About 20,000 residents of the villages — Baidhmara, Vasteji, Pachhora, Kundori, Mango, Dhangari, Mahuar, Bansgarh, Agardih, Pipratand, Maheshpur, Karmatand, Ganjudih, Chaitatand, Kanfatta and Kenari are residing in the dearth of several basic amenities — falls under Bokaro assembly area and Dhanbad lok Sabha constituency.
Irked over the alienated attitude of the politicians and other leaders, villagers also decide not to cast their right for NOTA. Villagers also banned the entry of any political parties or election campaigning in their villages.
By opting for NOTA, we (villagers) do not want to prove that ‘we are alive’, so this time we have decided to boycott the poll, said Raju Mahato, a resident of Mahuar village. “Entry of politicians and any political party is banned in our village. If any one try to enter in our village they will have to face dire consequences”, he added.
Politicians used to exploit us when election arrives. We are living in the dearth of all basic amenities, alleged the villagers. “Despite repeated assurances Bokaro Steel Plant management has also failed to provide basic amenities in our villages’, added the villagers.
We all are having voter’s ID card and our names are in the voter list but we decided to boycott the poll this time, said Sajni Devi a resident of Karmatand. Its worth mentioning that these villages are deprived of the Government welfare schemes as they do not fall either under any ‘Panchyat’ or ‘Nagarpalika’. So, their residents are facing threat and living in the dearth.
This time we have decided, “Panchayat nahi to vote nahi”, “Rojgar nahi to vote nahi” and all political campaigns are banned in the villages, said Arjun Mahato. On this row, JVM (P) MlA Bokaro Samresh Singh has to face the heat of the villagers during his campaigning on Monday. Irked villager chased and wrecked his SUV (driven by his son) and waved black flag in Pachhora and Kundori village.