BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 23rd April 2024: The Reang community residing in Thungchrai ADC village has announced a boycott of the upcoming second phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state. The community is demanding basic amenities such as clean drinking water and proper roads. This move has sent shockwaves through the political scenario, disrupting the sleep of the ruling party leaders.
Thungchrai ADC village, a remote hilly area of Shere Chandra Para, is located approximately 12 kilometers from Panisagar assembly constituency in North District. The Reang people, who have been residing in the area since India’s independence, are at the heart of this protest.
The current monsoon season has exacerbated the villagers’ plight. They rely on a mountain ridge, two kilometers away, for all their water needs, from drinking to washing clothes. This dependency has led to the annual outbreak of water-borne diseases and malaria, according to the villagers. The situation worsens during the dry season when the villagers are forced to fetch water from neighboring villages.
The only access road to the village is in a deplorable condition, further isolating the community. Despite the existence of supply points for delivering water through pipelines, the villagers lament the absence of clean drinking water. A staggering 99 percent of the hundreds of families in the village live below the poverty line, with their primary source of income being Jhumia fields.
In light of these challenges, the Jhumia families have taken a bold step by calling for a boycott of the Lok Sabha polls. Meanwhile, both ruling and opposition leaders are reportedly in deep slumber, seemingly oblivious to the brewing storm in Thungchrai ADC village. This development underscores the urgent need for attention and action to address the basic needs of the Reang community.
