THE CPI(ML) believes that BJP candidate (and sitting MP and Cabinet Minister) in Ara RK Singh, frustrated by his imminent defeat, could resort to foul interference with the process of free and fair vote-counting. The Ara Mofussil Thana in-charge who was discharging his duty honestly to ensure a free and fair election has been withdrawn from duty and posted at the police line at the behest of RK Singh. When the Thana in-charge took action against Chandan Pandey for attempting to influence voting, RK Singh implied that he was working for the CPI(ML) because he (the Thana in-charge) was dalit. This is an indicator of his deep-seated casteist-feudal mindset. He is accusing the police of being under the influence of alcohol while taking action against the BJP; this should be seen as an attempt to put pressure on the police-administration. Since the DM-Election Officer and SP have refused to bow down to his threats and orders, he is abusing and threatening them.
Such intimidation by RK Singh is a misuse of his power as a Minister and a clear case of violation of the code of conduct. The CPIML has submitted an application to the Chief Election Commissioner, Chief Polling Officer, and Central Election Observer asking them to intervene and keep RK Singh out of Ara district till the counting process is over.
BJP workers tried booth-capturing and bogus voting at several places, due to which they clashed with the police-administration at some places. Angered by this, the BJP candidate is trying to intimidate the district administration.
RK Singh’s feudal character and arrogance at being a former bureaucrat are now common knowledge. First he encouraged the morale of feudal forces, due to which mortal attacks were perpetrated on ML workers during the election campaign. Our campaign vehicle was attacked and banners torn at Zero Mile on 9 May, against which we registered an FIR. The police has apprehended a motorbike in this matter, with the registration number BR3Y 3926.
The CPIML campaign vehicle was attacked at Nawadaben in Sandesh Assembly segment on 10 May by feudal goons supporting the BJP. They knifed a young activist named Vishal Paswan whose medical treatment at PMCH is still going on. ML leader Jogendra Ram and two young activists Umesh Paswan and Akash Kumar were also injured in this attack.
Campaign work in Tilath Musahartoli (Tarari Assembly segment) was obstructed on 14 May. BJP supporter Pramod Singh s/o Devlal Singh of village Rammohan Tola threatened to fire bullets. On the night of 18 May, ML supporter dalit youth Pramod Kumar s/o Mahavir Prasad was attacked at Lachhanpur in Jameera Panchayat (Ara Assembly) by Kundan Singh and Boni Singh s/o Ranendra Singh, Vikas Singh s/o Ganesh Singh and Ravi Singh s/o Krishnanand Singh. He received a head injury and is still being threatened by his attackers.
Also on 18 May pamphlets were stuck on the homes of polling agent Rajnish Yadav and voters belonging to the oppressed sections (village Hemantpur in Badhara Assembly) saying that the Rajput community had decided that no member of the backward communities should come to vote, otherwise they should be ready for dire consequences. The polling agent was driven away in the afternoon and the booth was captured. On the morning of 18 May in village Badgaon (Agiaon Assembly) criminal Rinku Singh and his gang armed with weapons came in large numbers to the Tolas of the poor and threatened that no one should go to vote, otherwise the consequences would be serious. On the day of voting, feudal-criminal dominant forces obstructed CPI(ML)-RJD-Mahagathbandhan voters from voting, several booths were captured and bogus voting was done. When this was opposed, they beat up the persons who objected.
The following is a list of such incidents:
The father of Badhara MLA Saroj Yadav was beaten and his head injured at the booth in Keshopur (Badhara Assembly). Voters were beaten up at Babura Booth No 53 and Bishunpur Booths No 70-71(Badhara Assembly). Voters were beaten up and driven away at Rampur Tola Booth No 216. The police did not arrive even after the District administration was informed.
After polling at Mainpura Booths No 210 and 211 feudal forces beat up Vijay Shankar Yadav and Ranjan Yadav who is the Panchayat President and physically challenged. Their houses were stoned and an atmosphere of fear and terror was created. At the booth in Rajapur village, BJP supporters and dominant forces belonging to the Rajput caste captured the booth in the morning itself and beat up poor voters who came to vote. The poor opposed this and stone-pelting was done from both sides and people on both sides were injured. This has always been the scenario at this booth in every election and the poor have always been deprived of their voting rights. BJP supporters also captured the neighbouring Manikpur booth and beat up and drove away the poor.
The ML-RJD-Mahagathbandhan polling agent was driven away from Kanai Booth No 83 in Agiaon Assembly. When this was opposed, they attacked the people, injuring Satyendra Ram in the head. About 10 voters were beaten up, including women.
Such incidents also took place at Chhotki Sasaram Booths No 2, 3, 4, 5 in Sandesh Assembly.
