Armed with their traditional musical instruments, that mainly include the ‘dhamsa’ (Dhamsa is a traditional percussion instrument with a rich bass sound essential for Chau dance performance) and ‘madol’ (single-headed kettle drum and shaped like a large bowl), tribals who work for the parties are happy only with the payment they receive.
For Sukar Oraon, 64, and DM Hembram, 33, election is a source of income. “During the campaigns, a team of six-seven people is hired, who walk with the leaders and the group, while drumming the dhamsa-madol. For a single day, we are paid Rupees 4,000-5,000. In case of a wedding, we are booked for two-three days and receive a payment between Rs 10,000-13,000.”
Despite an active political presence in the Habibpur constituency during the elections, the woes and problems of the people in the area go unnoticed. Leaders arrive, shower promises and disappear, only to resurface during the poll season.
Most of the tribal hamlets continue to face problems such as lack of basic facilities, which include absence of health care centres, hospitals, doctors, drinking water. Come summer and the tribal men armed with bows and arrows block roads demanding a primary health centre, drinking water supply, water tanks.
Dhumpur gram panchayat resident Kabiraj Murmu said, “They (political leaders) fool us during every election and now it’s become a tradition. Leaders of different political parties will come just before the election, will give us money and buy votes,” the 44-year-old said.
Kamli Oraon (65) walks thrice a day, for one kilometre to fetch drinking water. “I live alone. I have to go at least three times a day, for one kilometre to get drinking water. Many times, by the time I reach the water tank, the water finishes because in this village we have 300 people and only two tanks,” he said.
“We do not have any hospitals either. We have just one health care centre and the doctor visits it once in a year. In case of emergency we have to rush to Bulbuli government hospital, which is 13 kilometres away from here,” said Sukar Oraon, resident of Kupkupi village.
The tribal dominated assembly constituencies of Habibpur and Gazole are under the Maldaha-Uttar Lok Sabha constituency. While Habibpur has a 29 per cent adivasi population, it is 21 per cent in Gazole.
“Water scarcity is the main issue in Habibpur,” said local CPI(M) leader Prodyot Burman. “During the Left regime, a project was started by the public health engineering department, to install drinking water tanks in these areas. But after that, the Trinamool Congress government did not continue with it. So, the area does have water tanks, but those are not sufficient for the villagers,” Burman added.
Supporting Burman’s claims, former CPI(M) MLA and the sitting BJP MP from Malda-Uttar Khagen Murmu said, “Here in Bengal, the TMC government does not want to work for the people. Their only agenda is to grab money for their own interest. Even then, from MP-lad money, I installed many submersible pumpsets so that at least villagers get some water.”
Murmu is seeking a re-election from seat.
The TMC has fielded retired IAS officer Prasun Banerjee against Murmu. “Murmu has no vision and he grabbed his MPLAD money. Areas like Habibpur and Gazole face severe water crisis. To meet that crisis we have to increase natural water sources. That is only possible when the local Tangon river can be revamped. That is only possible when the Ministry of Water resources will plan and money will be allocated. After winning from this constituency, I will do concrete planning to revamp the Tangon river and pursue that project with the central government. “