SILIGURI: A trip to home. Though for two to three days at the most, still good enough to
daily wage earner Moinul. Because all he needs to do to earn this all expense paid round trip is to press a particular button in EVM chosen by a ‘fore’ who arranges the trip from his workplace
Delhi to home village in deep interior of Maldaha in
West Bengal.
Arranging a group of over 100 heads like him under scorching sun at Dalkhola where Maldaha bound NH 34 meets East West Corridor, Moinul was seen full of energy even after 30 hours long travel. Almost 6 – 8 hours more for them to see the dearest ones at home sweet home in deep interiors of Maldaha south and North, Jalgipur, Murshidabad or Balurghat, the constituencies to have vote on Tuesday.
Interestingly, hardly anyone in the team knows name of candidates. “Not needed. Fore will tell us which button to press,” clean statement of Bhuban, one of them.
There are estimated over 7 to 9 lakh daily wage earners from Maldaha, Jangipur, or Balurghat who remain out in places like Delhi or Kerala round the year to earn.
“Getting them back for vote is a major task. So, keeping their agents in loop is an important ‘Electioneering’ job,” said a leader of TMC, ruling party in Bengal. The same was echoed by INC or even BJP workers. “Get as many as possible big agents in own side. That’s the objective,” they said. These agents are known as ‘Fore.’ While parties fund these projects, fores spend that in arranging cheap conveyance for the workers after keeping hefty ‘service charge.’
“Poverty, poor academic level, unemployment, high population density or low demand for workers in many districts in Bengal is the key factor behind this outflow or workforce,” said social activist Ajay Moitra.
Confirming that, Riajul, an agriculture worker, said, “Against Rs 200 a day here at Maldaha, I get Rs 700 plus in Kerala for furrowing or tilling.” As learnt, payment structure is equally good in cloth factories in Surat, shoe factories in Delhi or carpentry in Kerala.
According to a 2016 survey, Kerala alone pays over Rs. 25,000 crores per annum to around 40 lakh workers from outside. Near 15% of them are from West Bengal state. They work outside to live. And vote just to visit home.