CALCUTTA, 28 April 2004 — Widows of political workers killed in poll violence are demanding a ban on elections to stop further bloodshed in a Bihar village that has witnessed over 260 political murders in 35 years.
There are 80 “political” widows in Bihat, a village of 5,000 in the Begusarai district of Bihar, notorious for electoral malpractices and general lawlessness fueled by ideological and caste rivalries.
Polling in the Begusarai parliamentary constituency is scheduled for May 5. In Bihat, known as the village of widows, women bristle at the mention of elections.
“Don’t talk to me about elections. Ellections snatched my sons away from me. There should be a ban on elections here”, is the common refrain. Widows support their mothers-in-law call for a local ban on elections.
