No work, no vote: Farmers in Chunar, UP boycott election en masse

A group of farmers in Uttar Pradesh has decided to boycott elections as a mark of protest against lack of development in their village.

Lucknow, March 8: Finally, the farmers of Uttar Pradesh have broken their silence against alleged discrimination practiced by all political parties. A group of farmers in the state decided to boycott voting during the seventh and final phase of UP assembly elections on Wednesday--protesting against lack of development and irrigation facilities in their village.

"Farmers boycott voting at polling booth number 283 of Chunar assembly segment in Mirzapur alleging lack of irrigation facilities and development," reported ANI.

Mirzapur: Farmers boycott voting at polling booth number 283 of Chunar assembly segment alleging lack of irrigation facilities & development pic.twitter.com/jQvik9PX5t

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In a letter--Boycott of Voting--addressed to the media and political parties--the farmers' association of Chunar explained various reasons behind taking the decision to protest the assembly elections.

The letter in Hindi says, "All our parliamentarians and legislators--irrespective of their party affiliation--have always been a person from the Patel community. And no one in our village belongs to the community. This is our village's biggest tragedy. That is why we have been always discriminated when it comes to our development and well-being."

"Since the last 25 years, we have been asking for irrigation facilities in the village, however, nobody heard our pleas. Thus we have decided to boycott the election," the letter adds.

The letter also mentions that the village lacks good roads, drainage and toilets facilities. The farmers say none of the government-run irrigation facilities are functional in the village. Moreover, most of the villagers still live in mud houses, without any proper housing facilities. The poor in the village have no access to ration cards, states the letter.

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