Maharashtra elections 2024: Disgruntled fishermen boycott voting in Uran

The ZP school in Hanuman Nagar Transit camp where four booths were set up

A large number of fishermen displaced by the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) phase 2 project, since last four decades, staying in Hanuman Koliwada transit camp, Uran, refrained from exercising their right to vote on Wednesday.

Out of approximately 1,212 eligible voters about 489 villagers cast their votes and 723 refrained from voting on Wednesday. Local villagers claim that those who voted were coerced to vote by the local political party workers. The police rubbished the claims, stating that no such complaints were received and that it was a free and fair election.

Coerced to vote

Parmanand Koli, secretary of the Maharashtra Small Scale Traditional Fish Workers Union, said, "Hanuman Koliwada has 256 affected families, including approximately 1,212 eligible voters. Allegedly, local political party workers coerced some fishermen from the village, particularly first-time voters, by claiming that if they did not participate in the election, they would lose their voting rights, and their election cards would be cancelled."

"Some privately employed residents feared losing their jobs, while senior citizens worried about being denied rations from fair-price shops. Additionally, those affiliated with political parties also cast their votes under similar pressure," he added.

When asked if those who were coerced had filed any police complaints, Koli responded negatively. He further mentioned that out of the 475 voters, around 70 are from the neighbouring Bhavara village and not from Hanuman Koliwada.

The fisherfolk who voted

Last moment decision

Most of the Hanuman Koliwada fishermen, affected by the JNPT project, chose not to vote after a polling booth was set up at the Zilla Parishad (ZP) school in their village on Tuesday evening. The decision came after local police and authorities intervened, arguing that setting up the booth elsewhere would inconvenience nearby villagers.

"We initially opposed the booth being set up at our ZP school because our village is a transit camp, and as per the state election commission, polling booths are not allowed in transit camps. However, we eventually gave in when the request was made at the last moment," said Koli.

Channel bandh

"It was our way of expressing revolt against the political parties and the candidates, who did nothing beyond lip service, in the last so many years, and did not actually work for the well-being of the fishermen. Hence, we boycotted the election," said Koli.

mid-day in its article titled ‘Port of broken promises' dated November 19, had highlighted after 40 years without rehabilitation or compensation fisherfolk who lost ancestral land to JNPT phase 2 vow to boycott the assembly election and escalate their protest with a ‘Channel Bandh' to block JNPT's navigation channel on Constitution Day November 26.

‘Polling went smooth'

Vishal Nehul, assistant commissioner of police (Port Division) Uran, said, "We arranged a series of meetings with district administration and Hanuman Koliwada fishermen who were opposing the election, but finally we could succeed in persuading them with talks."

When asked if they made any preventive arrest, ACP Nehul said "We did not make any preventive arrest or detention and the election went peacefully. As per our records, 475 out of 1212 eligible voters from Hanuman Koliwada cast their vote, which is almost 39.27 per cent voting turnout."

"The fishermen are firm in their decision, so far and we will take appropriate measures as required to maintain law and order," Nehul added.