SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, May 20: Devyanti Majhiay (55) of Maniyadih panchayat in Tundi West block of Dhanbad is upbeat to cast her vote with family members without any fear this time.
Tundi and Tundi East blocks of Dhanbad, around 35 km from the district headquarters, have been considered bastions of banned organizations for decades. Naxals not only used to dictate to villagers but also realised levies from them.
However, the district administration has declared 34 booths of Tundi out of 98 Naxals affected.
But this time red zone looks green for villagers for the first time in the last 40 years. Naxals have not given a poll boycott call in the 2024 election so far.
Tundi blocks of Dhanbad district fall in Giridih Lok Sabha constituency where voting will be held on May 25.
Naxals always put-up posters
Since 1984, in every election, Naxals put up posters on school buildings, and walls calling villagers to boycott.
Fearing Naxals repercussion, villagers feared to cast votes or talk about the election in public. Even in the 2019 elections, Naxals had put up posters for poll boycotts.
Naxal poll menace
The Naxal poll menace of Tundi blocks shot into national limelight in the 2004 Lok Sabha election when poll officer Dr Ajay Kumar was killed at Palma while going to the poll booth. Earlier in 1990 a school building in Surra was blown up followed by Janjatiya Awasia Vidhyalaya Maniyadih, Majhiladih hospital building, school building in Kolahir.
But this time people’s confidence especially women voters has grown following frequent visits of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) HP Janardhan and his team at vulnerable booths.
“Naxal fear in the region has now become a matter of history. Development in the area especially net of roads, schools, college, electric connection, awareness campaign and presence of heavy force round the year has made red belt green,” said Dinesh Mahtha, a senior journalist of Tundi, who has been covering the elections since 1993.
Late Tundi MLA Raj Kishore Mahto
Martha gives credit for this change to the late Tundi MLA Raj Kishore Mahto who opened schools and colleges. “Of course, Naxals cross through Tundi but hide and no longer demand levy from villagers,” he added.
Landlord Dhaneswar Singh, a resident of Maniadih, whose younger brother was killed by Naxals for refusing levy in 1984 said that there is no sign and fear of the banned organization in the region. “ I make movement even at 11 pm but no Naxal is seen,” he said.
Sunil Choudhary, a school teacher of Tundi, claimed that Naxals were completely wiped out from the region. Even though they will put up posters for boycott, villagers will not obey them.
