Disappointed, Sahnewal and Doraha villagers have decided not to cast their vote

Lovleen Bains

Doraha/Sahnewal, Feb 17

“Elections are no more about electing representatives who are of the people, for the people and by the people. It is now a game of muscle and power where the common man is a mere puppet, acting as per whims and fancies of the influential ones.”

This is the opinion held by a number of residents of villages around Sahnewal and Doraha, especially those who are disillusioned by the manner in which candidates behave differently as soon as they assume power.

The residents have decided to keep themselves aloof from all poll buzz and not cast vote.

These residents mainly comprise the elderly for whom oily tongues of the candidates hold no importance or the educated youngsters who, expecting nothing better, have already made up their mind to leave the country and settle abroad where they can at least sustain themselves.

“Why should we cast our vote? It has been years together that we are crying for basic amenities,” said a resident of Jaipura village.

Residents of Chaunta village, which is known as the capital village for trade in drugs, along with those of several other villages, have banned the entry of party candidates.

“No leader has done anything to ease miseries of mothers who were rendered childless, woman who became widows and children reduced to orphans due to open and unrestricted drug trade in the village. Now, it’s our chance. We have banned the entry of all candidates to the village,” said convener of the Lok Sangharsh Committee, Amarnath Koom Kalan.

“The drainage system has almost collapsed, unhygienic conditions are allowed to prevail, repair of badly damaged streets was neglected and raising of low-lying areas and timely removal of accumulated water have not done. There is hardly any lighting facility. Years have passed but no people’s representative could find any solution to the sewer water accumulation on the Doraha-Jaipura road. The arrival of grants is nothing but a mere false assurance. Hence, we have been left to our fate,” said Ranjit Singh Tiwana, a social worker and resident of the town.

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