Basiala, Rasulpur villages boycott voting

Garhshankar, February 20

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Voters of Basiala and Rasulpur villages in the Garhshankar Assembly segment boycotted the polling on Sunday in protest against the closing of a railroad crossing. The people also staged a dharna in this regard. They refused to vote despite efforts by the administration, demanding that first the crossing be reopened. Polling booth was set up in Basiala village but not a single person from the village went to cast the vote. Similarly, in Rasulpur village no voter of went to cast the vote. The people of both the villages sat staged dharna and demanded from the government and the administration to open the closed railway crossing gate.

Harjinder Singh, a resident of Rasulpur, said the gates were closed three years ago. Due to the closure, people of both the villages have to take a 5-km diversion passing through a narrow path to commute. For farmers, it is difficult to pass big carts, trolleys and tractor trolleys loaded with sugarcane an other crops, he said. The railway gate should be opened immediately keeping in mind the problems of the people, otherwise the struggle will continue. Basiala village sarpanch Hardev Singh said, “In our village the administration had deployed full staff at the polling booth. However, by not casting a single vote, the voters have given a message to the government . Sarpanch of Rasulpur Paramjit Kaur said to mark the protest nobody from the village voted today. —