Dhimal to boycott polls

Siliguri, May 2 (UNI) The Dhimal, the country's smallest community, will boycott the fifth phase of the West Bengal state assembly polls.

The Dhimals live near Indo-Nepal border under Naxalbari Block of Phansidewa constituency in Darjeeling district.

Garjan Kumar Mullik, the only graduate of the Dhimal community told UNI that there are no schools or any other education infrastructure and the health system was also poor.

He said the Dhimals would refrain from voting unless developmental works take place in their villages .

They had appealed to the Centre to accord tribal status to them.

According to state government reports, only 921 Dhimals are there in the state. This Indo-Mongoloid ethnic community is fast becoming extinct.

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