Kishanganj, Baran: Sahariyas, classified as a particularly vulnerable tribe (PTG), were liberated from the "hali" system (bonded labour) only in the past decade through various govt interventions, but their existence is still stuck in a vicious cycle of poverty.
In
Baran district
, Ramkaran Sahariya, an
MGNREGA
labourer, lives in a corner of Kishanganj village.
An irregular patchwork of mud and brick houses, Kishanganj hardly fits into the idea of human habitation, except for a three-room primary school.
The Sahariyas have lost hope, Ramkaran says. "Just before elections, politicians come and promise to build roads, drains, etc., but nothing comes of it. We are only given lollipops, which 'increases' with each passing election," he rues.
With the Jhalawar-Baran constituency going to Lok Sabha elections once again on April 26, TOI spoke to a Sahariya family to understand their issues and expectations from the
political class
. When asked about the choices left before them after being disappointed by both the BJP and Congress, they said it was a dilemma which they grappled with every poll.
'Free ration not enough to feed family'
"Do our votes count," asked Om Prakash Sahariya, who also depends on MGNREGA work for livelihood, in derision. Even though he does back-breaking work for eight hours, he is not even paid the full day's wage of Rs 285.
"I only get Rs 210-215. I have no idea about the rest of the money," he said, sitting in his one room, tin-roofed house that faces a filthy trough.
A few years ago, he was given a gas connection under the Ujjwala scheme. He was excited about it then. But he has never been able to refill it, not even once. "The subsidised gas cylinders are for the poor, not for the poorest of the poor like us," he said.
Ramkanya Sahariya, who is a widow, said the widow pension was the only support she counted on. "I have not received my pension for the past five months. I have no other source of income," said Ramkanya, who is in her 70s.
While free ration is still available, it is not enought to feed the entire family. "If I calculate, each family member gets 250gm of dal for a whole month. The monthly ration of wheat for the whole family is 35kg. It's hard to fill the stomachs if we do not work as daily labourers," said Ramkaran.
In recent years, some in the nearly one-lakh strong
Sahariya tribe
living in Sahabag and Kishanganj have benefited from job quotat. "Even girls have joined the police. So people in the community are more interested in providing education to their children," Ramkaran said.
But they are still in need of better
livelihood opportunities
and basic infrastructure such as water, power and housing.
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