JAGATSINGPUR: With approximately 1.6 million voters in the Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha Assembly constituency, Scheduled Caste (SC) families have rallied together, nominating an Independent candidate to confront their lingering grievances in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.
The move comes in response to the alleged failure of successive governments to address their concerns and the exploitation of SC category designations by general caste individuals.
The constituency, comprising seven Assembly segments, predominantly consists of SC voters, constituting nearly 80% of the electorate. Despite their significant presence, SC-elected MPs have consistently overlooked their pressing issues related to health, housing, education, and transportation over the years, they alleged.
Many SC families, including daily wage earners, continue to suffer due to the absence of land documents required for permanent housing initiatives like the PMAY.
Despite repeated appeals to the state government for land documents, essential for accessing housing benefits, their pleas have been ignored.
These marginalised families urgently require land pattas under schemes like the Vasundhara Yojana for their sustenance. Without land documents, they are not only deprived of housing benefits but also face hurdles in obtaining essential certificates and accessing financial aid or medical relief.
Local SC communities lament the lack of representation from their own ranks, with political parties nominating candidates who are disconnected from their plight. The nomination of Rajshree Mallick by the BJD party, despite her SC caste, has drawn criticism for her alleged indifference towards issues affecting the SCs.
In response, the BJP has nominated Bibhu Prasad Tarai, a former MP, for the Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha (SC) seat. However, controversy surrounds Tarai’s candidacy due to his affiliation with the fishermen community, challenging his classification as an SC candidate.
Tarai however, asserted the legitimacy of his SC status and promised to address the community’s concerns if elected.
BJD MP candidate Rajshree Mallick could not be contacted.
Sankar Das, convenor of All Odisha Bhoi Samaj Bikash Parishad, emphasised the urgent need for addressing the community’s demands. Frustrated by the lack of progress, the Parishad plans to nominate an Independent candidate from this Lok Sabha seat to champion their cause.
