In Jharkhand's Khunti guns decide election winners and not voters, says Dayamani Barla

Ranchi: Here, guns deliver the verdict and mandate, not voters. Locals say that reports of murders never fail to shock them anymore. Democracy has been crushed by an intense fear of extremist groups. Politicians, contractors, mafias and private armies under the guise of Naxals allegedly rule the roost.

Police sources in Khunti said whenever huge cash is seized during elections from armed groups, they primarily investigate to find if it was extorted from a trader to help a poll candidate, or was it collected as levy from a candidate itself.

Meet a fearless and determined woman who single-handedly dealt with the Naxals while fighting the Lok Sabha elections from Khunti a few months ago. She has no inspiration in her life except for the "crushing poverty and Zamindari atrocities" that she and her family has had to face.

As the state braces itself for polls, News18 tries to extract the subsurface harsh realities that media lenses fail to catch in the tribal hinterlands. Dayamani Barla, a 49-year-old cheerful lady, popularly known as Didi in Khunti and in the entire state, also the first tribal journalist from the state, reveals the truth layer after layer.

Question: Are Khunti elections really so dangerous?

Dayamani Barla: In Khunti, ballots, not public, give the verdict. When I started campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls as a candidate, I received death threats from PLFI while travelling across the constituency. My supporters were intimidated and asked not to support people they don't like.

People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI) an active group in the area has its own intelligence. More than a Naxal group, PLFI is a group of blackmailers and extortionists. When I was holding a meeting of villagers in Khunti, some 8-10 boys surrounded me and demanded money. When I said I can't give a single penny they said, "Give us at least Rs 10 lakh if you want to campaign in the region. Every candidate gives us money to contest." They further threatened my supporters and said their villages will be set on fire.

We did not fear and set up a Shaheed Dasta. The locals pledged with me, "It is better to die fighting for our values than living a life of fear." We all considered ourselves to be an alive martyr.

I was not concerned about myself; rather I was more concerned about people's rights as it is impossible for them to use their franchise under the shadow of guns.

When elections began, whatever fear I shared with policemen deployed for my security was conveyed to PLFI activists. The situation was so confusing that I was losing trust on trust itself.

Other candidates also face the same problem but they don't raise the issue, probably because they are scared.

Question: Why aren't you contesting the Assembly elections? Are you shying away from the elections fearing defeat?

Dayamani Barla: I have never kept myself away from the pain and suffering of my people, whether it be day or night. During the Lok Sabha elections, the Aam Aadmi Party made me candidate from the Khunti seat from where BJP's Kariya Munda had been elected seven times. We had no fund but our enthusiastic workers managed to collect Rs 8 lakh for campaigning. Hundreds of volunteers joined us and donated their money and labour. I remember a young Indian took 2 months leave and came to Khunti from New York to help me in campaigning.

If the Assembly polls were scheduled not so close to the Lok Sabha polls, we would have tried to contest this time also. Having financial support is crucial to a successful poll campaign and I accept this as a harsh reality. Only a few months ago we spent Rs 8 lakh and collecting that much amount again is not possible for us. Fund crisis is the only reason why we are not contesting.

Question: If you don't contest, who will your supporters vote for?

Dayamani Barla: It depends on the candidates that the parties will choose. We have been watching the poll scenario constantly ever since the dates were announced. Our main aim will be to oust the BJP as we consider it the biggest threat for the tribals. Modi will kill local democracy, gram sabhas and our rights over forests. We don't want our forests and agricultural lands to be sold to corporates.

We don't want votes to be divided to indirectly help the BJP. If a regional party candidate looks promising, we will most likely support them.