Undeterred by pre-poll promises, they toil hard to make ends meet

Our Correspondent

Malerkotla, April 26

Tall claims and assurances being made by politicians during elections are beyond comprehension of thousands of those families which have been living as nomads on outskirts of towns and helmets in almost all Lok Sabha constituencies of the state.

Putting up at temporary abodes under over-bridges, near canal bridges and slums situated on outskirts of towns and villages of the region falling under Ludhiana and Malerkotla districts, they lamented that most of the facilities supposed to be provided to the poor, were normally available to those living in their houses.

Octogenarian Kanahiya Ram from Varanasi, who along with his wife was busy in exploiting vehicular traffic to thrash grains from wheat ears, was upset that he was homeless even after working hard his whole life. “Who wins in elections is not going to change my fate,” he said.

Tripta, another worker, said that she comes to Punjab almost every harvesting season and returns with meagre earnings of five to seven thousand rupees. “It becomes easy for me to return during the election year as the village sarpanch offers to sponsor my ticket if I cast my vote for the candidate of his choice,” said Tripta.

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