NEW DELHI: India's Oscar entry in 2018 'Newton' talked about election process at Maoist stronghold Bastar region in Chhattisgarh. Ironically, a Dantewada resident, who essayed the brief role of a journalist in 'Newton', is now seeing life unfold, much like the reel itself as the November 12 first-phase election draws near.
Mangal Kunjam, a resident of Ghumiyapal panchayat, may not be able to vote on November 12 following a boycott call by the Maoists at villages in Bastar region. There are posters and banners in parts of the region, asking voters to refrain from voting.
"I will not vote and neither other people in my village following the call by the Naxals to boycott elections," said Kunjam in his late twenties. He works a local journalist, similar to his role in the Rajkumar Rao starrer movie released in 2017.
Kunjam's decision against voting is based on hard lessons he learnt during the 2013 Assembly elections when he decided to ignore the call by the Red Brigade. He had even encouraged other people in his village to come out and vote.
"How will I go against the call (by Naxals)? They left me with a warning, and I will be killed the next time. Soon after voting was over in 2013, I was called by the central committee commander and pulled up for going against them. I accepted my mistake and apologised to them that this won't happen ever again. Anything could have happened to me, but they allowed me to go home," said Kunjam, as he explains the situation of the people in strife-torn areas where they are stuck between the police and the Naxals.
The Ghumiyapal panchayat has around 20 villages with 1,000 houses. All of them plan to refrain from voting. The 2013 Assembly election saw similar trends as 68 polling stations recorded no voting, and 80 recorded less than 20 votes. A majority of these booths were in Maoist-dominated districts of Dantewada, Bijapur, Narayanpur and Sukma.
The fear is not unfounded as the police protection is only during an election and the people have to fend for themselves in villages where Maoists have a heavy presence. "They (authorities) are saying come out and vote, but representatives of any political party never enter villages after Kirandul. During the election, they (officials) come with the police, but the people know if they come and vote, there will be no police protection after elections. Who will protect us from the rage of the Naxals?" said another villager from Moriya tribe in Badpalli village in Dantewada constituency.