Resentment among villagers leads to Poll boycott in Remote Tripura village
In a display of discontent, the residents of the remote village of Malda Kumar Para in Tripura boycotted the East Tripura Lok Sabha elections held on Friday. The boycott took place at Booth No. 5 of 44 (Sadai Mohan Para) in the Raimavalley assembly constituency. The villagers expressed their frustration over the poor condition of the roads, a problem that has persisted for 17 years.
The polling officer at the booth center reported that out of the total 1059 registered voters, only one young man, who no longer resides in the village, showed up to cast his vote. Unaware of the current situation and discontent, he was assaulted by the villagers, leading to the intervention of security personnel to rescue him.
The villagers further protested by blocking the Champarai Para to Malda Kumar Para road outside the booth center. The aggrieved villagers alleged people of the Malda Kumar Para and surrounding hamlets were demanding a road since 2007. The NPCC had initiated road construction but halted the work midway for reasons unknown. Repeated pleas of villagers to the administration and concerned others ‘fell into deaf ears’.
The villagers alleged their plight is exacerbated by the lack of basic amenities like drinking water and electricity, leading to ‘numerous deaths’ due to preventable diseases such as malaria, intestinal issues, diarrhea, and waterborne diseases. The poor condition of the roads poses a significant risk to villagers, especially during emergencies when ambulances cannot reach the village.
Despite assurances from the Dhalai district administration last year that the blocked road would be repaired within a few days, the road remains in perilous condition. This led to the villagers boycotting the polls after informing the administration in advance. A large police force, including the Additional District Collector and Additional SP of Dhalai district, rushed to the site after hearing about the boycott. However, despite various assurances made by administration officials, the voters remained steadfast in their boycott, attributing the current situation to the administration’s failure.
(Tripura, Tripura News)