‘Not theft but robbery’: Vote theft anger grips rural Bihar | Ground report

For any state, the rural pulse mirrors the prevailing political undercurrents the most. Bihar is no exception. As the state heads towards crucial Assembly elections, the widespread allegations of vote theft and the mobilisation around the Opposition’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ rally have left a lasting impression on villagers who have expressed discontent.

The Federal Desh visited the rural areas of Bihar to gauge the people’s mood there. When it reached Munger and Khagaria districts in the eastern side of the state, one thing was clear — the issue of omission of names from voter lists has left rural Bihar quite agitated.

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The local people have said that the problem is widespread, cutting across villages. The ongoing 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD's Tejashwi Yadav has given it further traction.

Women speak out

What is surprising is that the women have raised their voices on the matter the most, even in front of the camera. In Kharagpur’s Durgapur village, for instance, women were initially reluctant to speak on political matters. But they opened their mouths soon after and accused the Election Commission (EC) of hiding behind excuses while names continued to disappear from the electoral rolls.

One of them even asked how Nitish Kumar could be removed from the chief minister’s chair if votes get stolen. She said this when she was asked what would change in this year’s Assembly elections.

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A resident of Durgapur said, “Two hundred people from our village saw their names getting removed. The poll panel authorities justified it, saying those people didn’t have proof.”

The controversy around the deletion of voters’ names has indeed left the rural people of Bihar seething in anger.

'Not theft but robbery'

In Churamba village of Munger district, a person told The Federal Desh that electoral malpractice also existed in the past, but what is happening now is beyond all limits.

The person, whose name remains in the list but that of his wife doesn't, said, “Vote theft has always happened. But under this government, it has turned into robbery.” When asked what he meant, the man said, “Robbery (of votes) is a four-time worse crime than theft.”

When asked about the existence of Bangladeshi names in the rolls, another person from Churamba held the government responsible. He said the government itself should answer how people from Bangladesh are crossing the border into India.

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“How did they come here? Who sheltered them? If they crossed the border, who is responsible? Why is there no debate on this?” the villager shot back with a barrage of counter questions.

Shambhu Yadav, a resident of Mungli village, said that despite voting for many years, his name has been removed from the list, and he has lodged a complaint about it. “This has happened to many others, too,” he said.

Alive but marked 'dead'

Another person said 20 people from his village, who are alive and kicking, have been declared ‘dead’ and their names have been removed from the list. “This is nothing but dishonesty,” he said.

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When asked whether the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' would affect the elections, he answered in the affirmative. “Of course, it will. What is being done with voters is not right,” he said.

The issue has not remained restricted to Mungli. The residents said the same thing has happened with several people in neighbouring villages as well.

While the dates for Bihar elections are yet to be announced, it is clear from the people’s words that the agenda has already been set. The polls might become a testing ground for the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR), as the EC is also looking at it as a laboratory to try things out.

(This article was originally published in The Federal Desh.)