Dalits allegedly bribed in UP''s Chandauli to not vote

Shahira Naim 
Tribune News Service
Lucknow, May 19 

Half a dozen Dalit residents from Tarajeevanpur village in the state’s Chandauli district claim that local BJP workers allegedly paid them Rs 500 and asked them not to vote on Sunday.

On the eve of elections in Chandauli half a dozen Dalit residents approached the Alinagar police station in Sakaldiha block charging the BJP workers including a former pradhan of paying them Rs 500 each and putting pressure on them not to exercise their franchise.

The villagers told reporters that the culprits had applied ink on their index finger and asked them not to venture out to vote.

“Tell people that you have already voted,” a woman who was among those paid for not voting quoted their bribe-givers as telling them. 

Speaking to reporters, Chandauli district magistrate Navneet Singh Chahal, said following the complaint by the half a dozen villagers a case has been lodged against three named and 4-5 unnamed people.

Chahal said that the SDM and ADM had rushed to the village, where they spoke to many villagers and found that this was a stray incident and no one else in the village had been similarly approached.

“The ink was found to be ordinary ink and not the kind used in polling. Hence all the complainants have already voted," said the DM.

The money paid to the complainants has been recovered by the administration as case property.

Meanwhile, tension prevailed in the district and heavy police force has been rushed there following clashes between the BJP and SP supporters.

Leading the trouble makers was Mughal Sarai, BJP MLA Sadhna Singh, who led a group of supporters armed with lathis and clashed with the SP supporters. There were also reports of heavy brick batting.

Taking cognizance of the violence the Election Commission has sought a report from the Chandauli Returning Officer.

BJP state president Mahendranath Pandey is the BJP candidate from this constituency.