Protest against ‘differential treatment’ continues
The Hindu
Many villagers demand ₹6,000 per vote, quoting the practice by a particular party
The unusual demonstrations by some voters stating that “we too should be given ₹6,000 per vote as being given by a party to some in Huzurabad by-poll” continued for the second day on Friday, posing uncomfortable questions to political parties and officials.
Video clips of women alleging that a particular party was distributing ₹6,000 per vote in the constituency and demanding that they too be given the same amount went viral the previous day. Two more video clips with near similar content surfaced from the constituency on Friday, even as police announced that they had already launched an investigation into such instances reported on Thursday.
In one video purportedly emerging from Peddapapayapally village, women staged a sit-in on the road, alleging that they were being denied ₹6,000 per vote. “We have two votes and live in a hut. What is our mistake? Why are we being deprived of that money?” they angrily asked. They also charged that one village elder even threatened them with dire consequences when they questioned on the issue.