Fearing violence, Bhiwani Dalits seek separate booths

Sat Singh

Tribune News Service

Bhiwani, January 5

Apprehensive of violence like the last panchayat polls, members of the Scheduled Caste of Dhana Ladanpur village here today submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner addressed to the Chief Minister and sought change of polling booths.

Radhey Shyam, outgoing sarpanch of the village from the SC community, told District Election Officer Saket Kumar that due to violence between the SC community and the upper caste during the last panchayat polls, a youth was killed.

“Later, the issue snowballed and the Dalit community members had migrated out of the village and it took a long time to settle them back on the assurance and protection of the administration and the police,” he said.

Another member of the SC community, accompanying the delegation, said the enmity between the dominating caste and them still continued, but polling booths of the entire village was set on the premises of the government school.

SC community members demanded that the polling booth numbers 4, 7,8,9,10 and 11 in which members of both communities would gather on the polling day needed to be shifted to the SC Chaupal to avoid any rift between them.

“We had met district officials regarding the issue last week, but nothing was done,” said a member of the SC community.

Balwan Prajapat, whose wife is contesting for the post of sarpanch, said setting up of separate polling booths would avoid the ongoing tussle between both communities.

Tinku Rajput, whose wife is also in the poll fray, said there were nine candidates contesting for the post of sarpanch from the dominating and SC communities. “The present situation is quite peaceful and there are no chances of violence this time,” he said. On violence during the last panchayat polls, he said it was an issue between the youths of both castes, adding that later it was resolved amicably.

Dhana Ladanpur village which comes under the Bhiwani block is going to polling on January 10.

Kaithal DC inspects polling booths

Jind: The Kaithal district administration has made all essential arrangements for free, fair and peaceful elections to the Panchayati Raj Institutions. DC Nikhil Gajraj on Tuesday inspected the polling booths of the Guhla block. The DC urged the villagers to cooperate with the administration and maintain peace during the elections. — TNS

Poll Pot

Over 46,000 file papers for 2nd phase 

Chandigarh: A total of 46,416 nominations have been received during the second phase of elections to  the PRIs in Haryana. State Election Commissioner Rajeev Sharma said  4,565 nominations were received for members of panchayat samitis,  12,014 for posts sarpanch and 29,837 for posts of panches.  — TNS

‘Dry days’ to be notified for fair poll 

Chandigarh: ‘Dry days’ would be declared in or around the areas where the panchayat elections are to be held in Haryana on January 10, 17 and 24, said State Election Commissioner Rajeev Sharma. Such period of ‘dry days’ so declared would include the period of 48 hours ending with the hour fixed for conclusion of poll and the day on which counting was to be taken up. — TNS

Security to be beefed up 

Sonepat: To ensure free and fair panchayat elections in the district, Abhishek Garg, SP, Sonepat, convened a meeting of police officers from the state, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh here on Tuesday. The SP stressed the need for nabbing anti-social elements, including bail, parole jumpers and proclaimed offenders, and to carry out intensive search operations in the villages declared hyper-sensitive. In all, 12 entry points were identified on the borders of the district where police nakas would be set up.   — OC