Kolkata: Villagers of Kamduni, boycotted the ongoing Panchayat polls in West Bengal in protest of the rape and murder of a college girl on June 7.
When long queues of voters were witnessed in front of polling station all over the district of South 24 Parganas, the polling station remained deserted. Officials inform, till evening only 200 voters have been registered.
“What is the point of electing representatives when they don’t stand by us in the hour of need? Our village has no electricity, no roads, and no security for women.
“We had elected village representatives earlier. If he had done his work, this would have not been the situation of our village.
“Chief Minister came here and branded our girls as Maoist, when all they wanted is justice. The principal of our local school who stood by us is now being harassed by the state government. Is this why we participate in democracy?,” said a villager, unwilling to be named.
The villagers had earlier petitioned the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and had met the Vice-president of the Congress party Rahul Gandhi, demanding a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigations, and capital punishment for the accused. They also met Mamta Sharma chairperson of the National Commission for Women with the same demands in New Delhi.
“We want justice. We have no faith in the ongoing investigation by the state police,” demanded the victim’s brother. “Till now the main culprits have not been arrested. We may start a hunger strike demanding CBI probe,” he added.
The state government had shown tremendous irresponsibility when they filed an incomplete charge sheet in relation to this case. Now, it is to be seen whether this silent protest by villagers gets them justice.
