Meerut : A dalit voter chopped off his finger after accidentally pressing the button of the BJP election symbol instead of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) at a booth in Shikarpur area of Bulandshahr during the second phase of polling on Thursday.
In Bulandshahr, the contest is between the sitting MP and BJP candidate Bhola Singh and SP-BSP-RLD alliance candidate Yogesh Verma.
BSP supporter Pawan Kumar, 25, a resident of Abdullapur Hulasan village in Shikarpur area of the constituency, had gone to vote for Verma but voted for the BJP by mistake.
Frustrated over his fault, Pawan returned home and chopped off his finger with a chopper.
Pawan later released a video, which is now on Twitter, in which he is seen saying that he chopped off his finger to repent his mistake.
courtesy: hindustantimes.com
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Bengaluru: Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Priyank Kharge has expressed concern over the uncertainty surrounding the implementation of the proposed VB-G Ram G scheme, stating that the MNREGA programme, which has been a lifeline for rural India for nearly two decades, appears to be facing an uncertain future.
Speaking to media, Kharge said that as March 31 draws to a close, there is no clarity on the rollout of the new scheme from April 1. He pointed out that the central government has not yet issued the necessary guidelines for implementing the scheme for rural workers and villages.
He criticised the Centre for its lack of preparedness, stating that there is no clarity on fund allocation, no final parameters for classifying gram panchayats, and key processes such as social audits have not been defined.
Kharge said the situation comes at a critical time, as summer marks a peak period for rural employment demand, when many people depend heavily on wage employment for their livelihood.
He added that reports have emerged of delays in approvals and families not receiving work despite demand.
He further alleged that the Centre’s move to shift from a statutory employment guarantee to a rule-based allocation system is already showing negative consequences.
Kharge also raised concerns over provisions such as a mandatory 60-day halt during agricultural seasons, which he said would further limit employment opportunities for rural workers.
The BJP-led central government had claimed that the new scheme would transform rural India, but in reality it is turning out to be detrimental to people’s livelihoods, he said.
“The crisis in rural India due to the stalling of MNREGA is beginning to unfold. Given the Centre’s past record in handling such situations, there is growing concern over the impact on rural livelihoods,” Kharge said.
