MALKANGIRI:Ahead of the process of filing of nomination papers for the three-tier panchayat elections, the Maoists have warned the tribals of Malkangiri district to abstain from the poll.
More than 500 tribal residents of Ralegada panchayat, on the other side of cut-off Chitrakonda reservoir, took out a protest rally and dared the Government to hold elections in the area.
The villagers, under the aegis of ‘Malkangiri Zilla Adivasi Rayat Kuli Sangha’, a frontal organisation of CPI (Maoist), organised a meeting at Ralegada panchayat, which was also attended by top Maoist leader Raman.
Shouting slogans against the Government, they protested the BJD’s failure to provide basic needs to the villagers over the years. The Maoist-supported villagers declared to boycott the panchayat election over the issue.
The panchayat is functioning at Sarkubandh community centre, about 15 km from Ralegada, and does not have its own building, the Maoist sympathisers said. The villagers also criticised the Government for its failure to ensure pucca road, drinking water, facilities under public distribution system and extending other basic amenities to the people of the area.
At the meeting, which continued for more than an hour, the rebel leaders have threatened that those who participate in the poll process will be punished in a Praja Court. The electorate have been threatened that their thumbs would be chopped off if they dare to go for voting.
Police seized hand-written Maoist posters in Kudumulugumma in which Malkangiri District Divisional Committee of Maoists has asked the people not to take part in the upcoming polls or even contest it. Malkangiri Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Rahul Dev said, “There is nothing new in the threat. The Maoists are used to issue such threats before elections. Police are prepared to foil their attempt of disrupting the polls.”
(With PTI inputs)