Elections’ distant echo felt in UP’s Bhool Garhi, 4 years after Hathras gangrape.
The tragedy of four years ago casts a long shadow over Bhool Garhi’s residents, yet daily life is consumed by pressing concerns: soaring prices, unemployment, and the relentless struggle for survival in the face of adversity.
In Hathras, the memory of a Dalit teen’s gangrape and subsequent death, which shook the nation’s conscience four years ago, still reverberates. However, in Bhool Garhi, the village remains forgotten, trapped in neglect and the relentless battle for essentials. Amidst this backdrop, the upcoming elections seem but a distant murmur in the uneasy silence of everyday existence, where the urgent quest for basic necessities eclipses all else, highlighting the stark realities faced by its residents.
The 2020 incident involving the brutal assault of a 19-year-old woman, allegedly by upper caste individuals in the village, has exacerbated tensions in Bhool Garhi. The victim’s subsequent death, two weeks later in a Delhi hospital, has deepened the divide between the Thakurs and the Scheduled Caste (SC) community. This tragic event has heightened existing social fissures, intensifying the polarization within the village along caste lines.
Isolated and deprived of proper road access, Bhool Garhi, ironically translating to “forgotten citadel,” stands as a testament to neglect. This small village, home to 90 families of upper caste Thakurs and a mere four Dalit families, epitomizes the stark social divisions prevalent in rural India.
The Dalit families, marginalized and relegated to the fringes of the village, primarily eke out a living by working in the households of upper caste Thakurs. Residing in humble hutments in the Dalit “basti” on the village outskirts, they endure a life marked by economic hardship and social discrimination.
The recent return of three of the four upper caste men accused of the heinous crime that shook the village has further fueled unease and discontent among its residents. Despite the passage of time, the wounds inflicted by the tragic incident continue to fester, deepening the underlying tensions between the Thakur community and the Dalits.
In the aftermath of the incident, the victim’s family has withdrawn into a shell of silence, grappling with the trauma and the weight of unresolved justice. Their movements are discreetly monitored by a CCTV camera, a constant reminder of the pervasive sense of insecurity that hangs over their lives.
Despite their differences, the residents of Bhool Garhi share a common thread of adversity and struggle. Whether Thakur or Dalit, each family grapples with the harsh realities of rural existence, where access to basic amenities and opportunities for socio-economic advancement remain elusive dreams.
For the Dalit families, the journey to survival is fraught with obstacles, compounded by systemic discrimination and social exclusion. Their daily existence is defined by the precarious balance between subsistence and exploitation, as they navigate the complex web of power dynamics that govern village life.
Meanwhile, the Thakur families, while enjoying relative privilege and status within the community, are not immune to the pervasive grip of poverty and deprivation. Despite their numerical superiority, they too face challenges in accessing essential services and opportunities for livelihood enhancement.
In the midst of this social tapestry woven with tales of hardship and resilience, the specter of injustice looms large, casting a shadow over the collective consciousness of Bhool Garhi. The quest for justice remains elusive, as the wheels of justice turn slowly, if at all, in the corridors of power.
As Bhool Garhi grapples with its identity as a “forgotten citadel,” its residents continue to endure, bound together by the common bonds of shared struggle and survival. In the face of adversity, they find solace in the resilience of community and the enduring spirit of hope that flickers amidst the darkness of neglect and indifference.
In Bhool Garhi, the echoes of tragedy linger as life continues to be overshadowed by pressing concerns. While the memory of the young woman’s death four years ago still casts a long shadow, the urgency of daily life has taken precedence, dominated by the relentless struggles of rising prices, unemployment, and the quest for survival.
The rushed cremation of the victim by the police without her family’s consent only exacerbated public outrage, fueling demands for justice. However, the fervor of protests has since faded, leaving behind a lingering sense of injustice that simmers beneath the surface.
Amidst these challenges, basic amenities remain scarce, particularly in the Dalit basti where sanitation issues persist, exacerbating the residents’ plight. For one woman, the promise of a home remains unfulfilled, leaving her marooned in a swamp of gutter water, her son languishing without employment and a proper roof over his head.
Even within the Thakur community, infrastructure may be marginally better, but sanitation concerns persist, with broken roads adding to the community’s woes. Uma Shankar, a local Thakur resident, acknowledges the need for improvement but remains hopeful that these issues can be addressed.
As the upcoming elections loom closer, falling within the Hathras parliamentary constituency, there are faint hopes for change. The marginalized voices of Bhool Garhi resonate with aspirations for a brighter future, yet they remain skeptical of the pace of progress. While the prospect of electoral promises offers a glimmer of hope, the residents are all too aware that the wheels of progress turn slowly, and tangible improvements may be elusive.
In the midst of uncertainty and hardship, the residents of Bhool Garhi cling to the belief that their voices will be heard and their concerns addressed. As they prepare to cast their votes, they do so with a sense of cautious optimism, hoping that the outcome of the elections will bring about the positive change they so desperately seek.
Political choices in Bhool Garhi reflect societal divisions. Thakurs lean towards BJP, Dalits to BSP. Past tragedies fade amidst present concerns. Candidates focus on development and women’s safety.