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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Vote fear widespread in rebel belt: Survey by Naresh Jana

Vote fear widespread in rebel belt: Survey by Naresh Jana

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published Published on Apr 13, 2011   modified Modified on Apr 13, 2011
A survey by the West Midnapore administration has found that over two lakh voters, three fourths of them in Maoist-affected areas, are afraid of voting.

District officials said the survey of nearly five lakh people to identify “vulnerable voters” had been carried out following instructions from the Election Commission.

“As West Midnapore has the largest Maoist-affected area in the state, the commission had asked us to find out about the fear factor among voters in the district,” said a senior district official.

District magistrate Surendra Gupta said the survey had begun in March. “Till now, 2,13, 879 voters have expressed their fear about exercising their franchise. Now we are carrying out an exercise in these areas to rid them of this fear. We want all of them to come to the polling booths to cast their votes,” Gupta said.

The superintendent of police, Praveen Tripathi, said a big chunk of these “vulnerable voters” are in Lalgarh, Sankrail, Beliabera and Jhargram — all under the Jhargram Assembly constituency.

“Even a fortnight ago, Maoists and the People’s Committee against Police Atrocities had strong presence in these areas. Now, following persistent raids by the joint forces, the rebels have shifted out of the area,” Tripathi said.

Another senior police officer said that apart from the Jhargram constituency, Maoists had strong presence in pockets of Nayagram and Gopiballavpur Assembly constituencies.

Employees of block development offices had fanned out to villages affected by Maoist-presence and political violence. “The Maoist problem was a known thing. We also selected areas where there had been political clashes, such as Keshpur, Garbeta and parts of Salboni, from records. Villagers were asked about past elections and whether there had been problems. If there was a threat to the villagers, they were asked to explain by whom had they been threatened,” a district official said.

The villagers said they were scared despite the presence of central forces.

Manoranjan Mahato, a CPM supporter who owns a shop in Lodhashuli near Jhargram, said: “I, like at least 50 other CPM supporters, cannot sleep at home in the night for the past one and a half years following threats from Maoists. In some nearby villages, CPM supporters were killed when they stayed back to spend the night at home. In 2009, the Maoists called for poll boycott. So, how can we muster courage to cast our votes?”

District CPM secretariat member Dhareswar Sen said that in areas like Lodhashuli, party cadres cannot freely campaign fearing attack from the rebels.

“Our party supporters are scared to campaign freely in 12 booth areas in Lodhashuli. They also avoid sleeping at home in the night. So, it is quite natural that they will express their fear to vote. On April 2, out party supporter Prabodh Mahato has been murdered by Maoists in Ghritakham village,” Sen said.

Surendra Gupta, the district magistrate, said: “We have stepped up our vigil in these areas where voters are scared. The joint forces will take domination of these areas before the elections so that people’s confidence is restored.”

The Maoists have also called for a boycott of the Assembly elections, alleging the CPM’s reign is a “social fascist rule” in Bengal.

“We would like to drive out the CPM from Jungle Mahal. Even though we have called for a poll boycott, we will not resist the people who will cast their votes against the CPM,” a Maoist source said.

The Telegraph, 13 April, 2011, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110413/jsp/bengal/story_13848438.jsp


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