Tribals In Remote Areas Of South Bastar Boycott Elections Over Skewed Development, Neglect

Many tribal villagers in South Bastar's remote and Naxal-dominated Bijapur and Sukhma districts have decided to boycott the ongoing assembly elections as part of their protests under the Adivasi Moolvasi Manch. These tribals - living in far-flung villages like Rekawa, Bemnar etc – told Outlook’s Rakhi Bose that the development being carried out by the Congress government is not helping them.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 7 November 2023 1:48 pm

These villages do not have tap water or electricity and run on solar power. Locals have been protesting for nearly two years now against the construction of several new bridges, allegedly being built on their lands without consent and meant to boost mining in the area. The tribals also expressed displeasure against rampant deforestation for development and the targeting of civilian villages as "Naxalites" by the police any time they object to the government's policies.