Villagers protest over less ‘cash for vote’, block roads on poll eve!

Published

2 years ago

October 29, 2021

People of some villages staged road blockades while those in some other villages revolted against the local leaders over “unfair and unequal” distribution of money by political party representatives for votes in the Huzurabad assembly constituency in Telangana.

The constituency is slated for polls on October 30 and the counting of votes and declaration of results will be on November 2.

After political parties wrapped up the election campaigns and boasted that the welfare and development activities or the mood against the TRS government would help one or the other to win votes. However, from the morning on Thursday, leaders started taking rounds of villages and distributing money to voters. They fixed the rate for each vote, but many got angry over others getting more money than what they got or about some leading pocketing a part of the money.

The villagers of the Gangaram of Veenavanka mandal staged a road blockade alleging that they did not receive money sent by a main political party in the election fray. The police rushed to the village and tried to explain to them that it would be illegal to seek money for their votes and action would be taken if they did not stop the agitation.

The villagers alleged that the local sarpanch who belonged to the ruling TRS party did not distribute the money given to him by the party as he believed that they were supporting the BJP candidate Etala Rajendar.

It was Etala’s resignation of the MLA seat after his resignation from the state cabinet and joining the BJP that led to the by-election. Since he changed party, he could not continue as MLA under the anti-defection act.

A video got circulated in social media in which a woman of the Bujunoor of Ellanthakunta mandal alleged that the local leaders did not give any money to the people though these leaders took the money from the party leadership for distribution to the voters. “These men pocketed the money,” she alleged.

Addressing finance minister Harish Rao, she said the people of her village were voting for the TRS party in the past elections and would continue to do so. But, since the money sent to four villages thereabouts was not distributed to the inhabitants, the TRS might lose around 400 to 500 votes this time, she averred.

“The money must either be distributed to the villagers or sent back to the party headquarters,” the woman demanded in the video and pleaded with minister Harish to take immediate action against the in-charges and local leaders for pocketing the party money.

“Almost every voter was expecting money from the ruling TRS this time,” a villager said.

After receiving complaints that instead of distributing the money to the voters, some local leaders started pocketing it, the parties started dealing directly with the voters by deploying non-locals in certain areas for money distribution across the Huzurabad constituency.

The main political parties – TRS, BJP, Congress — collected complete details about the families and voters in each and every village of five poll-bound mandals. Talks were that a main political party is reaching out to the elder member of each family and offering money at the rate of Rs 6,000 per vote.

Locals said the leaders of this party have informed them that the party would distribute around Rs 100 crore in the first phase by fixing a rate for each vote, depending on the village and number of votes present in the village.

The locals also said the leaders of this party got ready the covers to distribute money after collecting the details of the voters in each house. If there are four votes in a house, the cover would carry Rs 24,000, which will be handed over to the family elder after taking a promise from him to vote for the particular party.

In some areas, the leaders started distributing the money by collecting phone numbers of the family elder at each house and then sending the money through money payment apps.

In one village, villagers learned that the sarpanch has distributed the poll bribe money by taking away Rs 1,000 from each Rs 6,000 packet. They rushed in and questioned him about this deduction. The sarpanch, fearing action against him by the party leadership, returned the deducted sum, Rs 1,000, to the villagers.

In another village, when villagers heard that there was a deduction from each packet. For instance, if there were four members having vote in a house, the money received was for three only. The “distributor” leader pocketed the money of one voter each from such families. The villagers revolted against the local leaders and demanded that they should get the full amount.

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Broke Swiggy guy walks 3 km to deliver food, Social media helps him find better job. Heartwarming story is viral

Published

4 months ago

June 13, 2023

Akshay Lad

Social media can be a wondrous place at times. While on most days, its ugly face is on display, on days like today, it sets examples of the power of kindness. In a social media post, a LinkedIn user shared how a delivery executive, in need of money and a better job, bagged one after the users on the platform came together to help the person out.

Priyanshi Chandel, Marketing Manager at tech company Flash, shared an incident about a Swiggy delivery agent who had come to deliver food at her residence. When she asked the late and out-of-breath delivery person, identified by her as Sahil Singh, about what happened, he told her that he had no transport and had to walk 3 km to deliver the order.

He also said that he was out of money and had nothing left to pay his landlord too. Singh told her that he was not looking for money from her but requested her to help him bag a job. He said that he had a degree in Electrical and Communication Engineering, and had worked with Byju’s and Ninjacart before. He had to move back to Jammu during the pandemic.

“I have not eaten for a week, just drinking water and tea to get by. I am not asking for anything, please if you can find me a job, I used to make 25k before, I am 30 years old, my parents are getting old and I can’t keep asking for money from them (sic),” Chandel quoted saying.

She also shared his marksheets and contact number for people to help. His details shared show that he is a 2018 BTech graduate from Mewar University, and completed his schooling from the Jammu and Kashmir state board.

After she shared the details, the comments section was filled with people who stepped up to help. While someone recharged his Yulu account so that he did not have to walk around to deliver food, someone offered a place to stay. Many offered to help him with his applications, while some offered jobs too.

Chandel, later on put an update on the post, and said that he received a job.

However, so far it is unclear what job he has received.

2023 has so far been a year of job losses, an eventual outcome of the pandemic and increased hiring by tech companies. For instance, the SSC MTS 2023 recruitment exam that took place in Uttar Pradesh in May saw over 55 lakh applications for Group D jobs. Numerous candidates who applied for positions such as peon, watchman, gardener had educational backgrounds like BTech, MBA, and Master’s degrees.

Goa CM, NRI Commissioner writes to MoEF for help in safe return of Goans from Ukraine

Published

2 years ago

February 24, 2022

Priyanka Shet

Panaji: Goa chief minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Thursday urged Union Minister for External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar to help in safe return of Goans who are in the Ukraine.

Sawant tweeted “we are concerned about the Goans in Ukraine who are considering to return to India in the light of ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis. I request Union Minister for External Affairs @DrSJaishankar ji for help in the safe return of Goans. I am keeping track of the situation.”

The chief minister’s tweet comes hours after Goa’s NRI Commissioner Narendra Sawaikar wrote to the Union External Affairs ministry seeking help in return of Goans who are in the Ukraine.

“Many Goans are currently residing in Ukraine due to various purposes including higher studies and due to the ongoing tension between Russia and Ukraine, I have started receiving requests for help and assistance from them to return back to India,” Sawaikar wrote.

The Commissioner further wrote in the letter that advisories have already been issued by the Ministery of External Affairs to Indians currently in Ukraine and our Indian Mission in Kyiy is currently handling the matter.

“Striking note of urgency, the Government of India has recently asked the family members of Embassy officials in Ukraine as well as students and citizens whose stay is not vital , to leave the Eastern European nation amid it’s raising tensions with Russia,” the letter reads.

Sawaikar wrote that the Goans in Ukraine are in touch with this office as they are anxious to temporarily return till the situation normalizes.

Election Commission announces polling dates and counting days for Vidhan Sabha elections in 5 states

Published

2 years ago

January 8, 2022

Priyanka Shet

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