Political prisoners?
Both the big parties are demanding release of all "raj bandis" before election i.e. the leaders belonging to those parties who were arrested and charge-sheeted for corruption, extortion crimes like murders, helping murderers from prosecution, siphoning of state wealth to foreign banks etc. If those arrestees are glorified as "raj bandies" meaning "political prisoners" then what should we name others who are not members of any political party but involved in the same kind of activities like our so-called "raj bandis"? I think, our writers should find some new definitions exclusively for the latter to differentiate with the former.
I am not concerned what we call or name these "raj bandies", but we are very much afraid of them and do not want them back any more because the last 23 months is not a very long time and our memory is not that short that we have not forgotten what they had done in the pre-one-eleven era. We, especially the people of low income group, were the sufferers during those days. Even our fellow small traders like paan and tea stall owners had to share their day's sale proceeds with police, local mastans and followers of those big "raj bandies" on a regular basis.
Now they can go home at the end of the day with whatever money they could make. So, in the last few months of this CTG regime the people of low income group were happy, in spite of the huge price hike. Their only consolation was that they were not being subjected to harassment by goons of political parties.
I believe the people of this group do not bother much about politics. They want security, and free workplaces to earn their livelihood. The wholesale release of all "raj bandies" has, in fact, created fears in their minds like, what will happen if the same people return and re-occupy the places where they were before 1/11.
Reform or no reform, election or no-election, the majority of the people, who earn and live marginally, want certain assurances from both the present CTG or the political parties who are likely to come back. They want only one thing "no more pre-one-eleven", no more extortion, intimidation etc. If the same situation arises they will never be benefited from 1/11.
Will the politicians give us some hope before they approach for votes again?
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