By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Guwahati: Wahidur Rahman, a petty businessman who used to deal in books has faith in democracy but he is finding it tough to live his life in the relief camps for more than a year. Wahidur who hails from remotest part of Dhubri district’s Gauripur of Assam has been stuck in relief camps along with his family members one after another.
Though he sounded very optimistic as the election approaches, the chances of getting their lives very slim with no major political parties mentioning the rehabilitation of the riot effected people as their agenda.
The riot affected people staging for their rights in Guwahati recently.
“Life has changed in many ways. Today I feel like to be a worthless. I have no value in the world to live. I used to sell books in markets but the riot ruined everything. And since then we are stuck in the relief camps At times we don’t feel like a human being,” rued Wahidur at his Bhodeyaguri relief camp under Gossaigaon sub division of Kokrajhar district.
Wahidur along with his family members have been staying at this relief camp since December of 2013 after they were shifted from another camp at Gauripur. “Life has become like this that we have no liberty to move to our houses in our own homeland. But I still believe in democracy and hopeful that we will see better days,” he added in a positive way.
But the pain and agony is constantly hurting him to see his 80 year old father and ailing mother to suffer in the poor condition of the relief camps which do not have the basic amenities to lead a decent life.
“There is no proper sanitation system and women have to face the worst situation here in the camps. We are just counting days when we will be out of this,” Wahidur said.
His father Sahabuddin Sheikh who is 80 years of age and mother Amirun Nesa are also a part of the camp. His cousin, Rafael Hussain who is physically disabled is also struggling hard to continue their life in the camps.
Even after that this is not a major issue for any political party. “No major political party has visited us or expressed the willingness to know our plight. It’s very pathetic. Only one candidate that too independent – Hira Sarania has visited us and promised us some hope,” said Rafael who is studying in class 12.
Hira Sarania alias Naba Sarania, a former dreaded ULFA militant is contesting from Kokrajhar seat with the active support from Non-Bodo organizations.
The plight of Sonowar Ali is also the same. They want to ask a question to the state machinery that why their plight is like that but they found nobody to be interested enough to listen to them. Many of them even have not received the financial grant of Rs 50, 000 given by the state government.
“What is the fault of ours that we need to live in such an inhuman condition?” cried Ali but alas there is nobody.
Civil society and others have slammed the role of political parties for neglecting the important issue like this. Only Samajwadi party has given focus towards the rehabilitation of the riot affected people in the election manifesto.
The riot affected people staging for their rights in Guwahati recently.
“It’s very unfortunate that the political parties have not considered the plight of these people as their agenda. It’s nothing new. Since the initial days, the political parties have no time for the poor people. The people here in the BTAD are still suffering. The arms are being smuggled openly but nobody seems to care,” Jamsher Ali, president of BTAD Citizen Rights Forum told TwoCircles.net.
Chor Sapori Sahitya Parishad (CSSP), a literary body of the state has also criticized the role of the political parties’ attitude towards these people. “We need to make these people understand the reality. In democracy this is very unfortunate thing to happen,” CSSP president Hafiz Ahmed said. These areas which fall under Kokrajhar, Dhubri and Barpeta parliamentary constituencies will go on polls on April 24.
Several top leaders including All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) president and Dhubri MP Badruddin Ajmal and his brother Sirajuddin Ajmal who is contesting from Barpeta besides Congress’ sitting MP Ismail Hussain from Barpeta are in the fray but these leaders have no time to spend moments with the riot victims.