Sarlahi, Feb 8: As the upcoming general election approaches, election-related activities have begun to intensify in Dalit settlements in rural areas.
In the daily talks among the locals at the local public meeting places and tea stalls, discussions usually take place about election alliances, shifts in voter support, and the probable winning candidates.
Candidates and their supporters have been seen going door to door asking for votes in their favour. The candidates have been presenting plans to the voters, ranging from converting local streets into paved roads to providing safe drinking water, employment, scholarships to Dalit students, and social security benefits.
Raj Kumar Majhi, 65, from Chandranagar Rural Municipality–6 Kamat Tol, complained that there is no basis to be confident that the leaders’ commitments will be fulfilled.
There are old settlements of the Dalit community in areas such as Chandranagar, Ishwarpur, Haripur and Brahmapuri of the district. The Majhi, Musahar communities here are struggling to make ends meet and their daily life is difficult due to the lack of basic infrastructure.
The narrow roads in some Dalit settlements become muddy, like during the monsoon, even in winter, and scarcity of shelter, daily meals and drinking water is the long-standing fate of the people here.
Jitendra Majhi of Kamat Tole, Chandranagar-6, said that he will vote for parties and their leaders who listen to the concerns of the poor. He stated that even access to schools is difficult for children.
He said, “In every election, party leaders and activists come and talk about promises. They say they will provide permanent houses to squatters. They claim to listen to problems that no one else has heard. We also think that maybe something will happen this time. But after winning, they rarely return.”
Dalit community families in this settlement lack land ownership. They are compelled to do strenuous labour to eke out their living. They complain that political parties rarely take interest in implementing various promises from inclusive development during elections.
About a hundred families of Musahar Majhi live in this ward. Half of them do not even have land in their name. Local Tara Majhi lamented that not even the house they have lived in so far is in their name.
Local leader Ram Kewal Majhi said that even the local government did not give much priority to the problems of Dalit settlements when allocating the budget.
Rajnikant Jha, a local civil society leader, said the tendency to view Dalit settlements merely as vote bank by parties and candidates needs to change.
He also stated that it is necessary to prepare plans prioritising the basic needs of such communities, implement budgets transparently, and involve their leadership in the decision-making process in local development.
Local teacher Nunia Majhi said that skills are needed to increase the income of the Dalit community. Dalits in Kanchanpur district demand for development in their settlements Meanwhile, the Dalit community of Kaluwapur, Shuklaphanta Municipality–11, in Kanchanpur district of Sudurpaschim Province say they will vote for the candidate who will work for the development of their settlement.
The candidates are busy meeting voters visiting the villages and settlements with supporters to ask for votes.
The locals have raised demands including the construction of a concrete bridge, a model Dalit settlement, employment in the homeland, boreholes for irrigation, street lighting, and distribution of land ownership certificates.
The settlement leaders have stated that they will vote for a trustworthy candidate who promises to fulfill these demands.
“It has long been a demand to make the Dalit settlement a model settlement and to build a concrete bridge over the local river. So far, those promises have not been fulfilled. For years there has been difficulty crossing the river, and although we received assurances of bridge construction many times, no one listened,” said local resident Dharma Bahadur Sarki.
According to locals, due to the absence of a health post near the settlement, there is an obligation to walk for about an hour to receive treatment.
“Even when you reach the health post, there is always a shortage of medicine. Ultimately, one has to go to private clinics and pay high fees. Candidates who can solve these problems will be our choice,” said Janjali Sarki.
Locals complain that the condition of the road leading to the settlement is also deplorable. They say that for years they have had to travel on dusty and muddy roads, and despite repeatedly requesting road upgrades from the local government to the provincial level, their appeals have gone unheard.
Padam Sarki said that due to the lack of employment opportunities in the village, most young people were forced to work as porters and servants in various cities of India.
“Every election, we hear about setting up industries based on traditional skills in the village and creating employment by training youth. But nothing has been done in practice,” he complained. Locals also complain that issues related to land ownership remain unresolved.
There are 60 Dalit households in Kaluwapur alone while 180 families belong to the Dalit community in the entire Shuklaphanta Municipality, Ward No 11.
