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‘Mango-Man’ Kejriwal’s Tryst With Mangoes
Modi Is The Last Hope For Darjeeling’s Tea Garden Workers
Akin to indentured labourers, the tea garden workers in Darjeeling have to send at least one member of the family to work in the garden to stay in the generational houses they have built on the small plots allotted by their tea gardens.
Around 70,000 workers produce about 9.6 million kgs of ‘Darjeeling Tea’, often called the ‘champagne of teas’, for a mere just Rs 250 a day for back-breaking work.
Ganga Rai (50), a worker, barely makes enough to make ends meet. Her son Adip, works as a daily labourer outside and makes more than she does. But she can’t work outside as she will lose her house if she doesn’t work in the garden.
They also do not get statutory benefits like healthcare, sanitation, drinking water, creches, rations, housing, educational facilities, paid leaves, etc.
“Bengal’s [TMC] government, in collusion with the exploitative management of most gardens, has kept the workers of Darjeeling tea gardens in a state of deprivation,” says Darjeeling MP Raju Bista (BJP), who has been vocal about workers’ rights and welfare and has raised this in the Lok Sabha several times.
Another concern is rampant migration of the younger generation from tea gardens to other states.
Happy Valley Tea Estate, the second oldest tea garden, established in 1854 employs over 1,500 workers. The tea garden is not doing well as the quality has gone down sharply given that most of the tea bushes are well past their prime.
“Most tea garden owners are only interested in quick profits,” says Debjyoti Chakravorty, a doctoral researcher studying Darjeeling’s tea gardens for the past 18 months.
The workers of Darjeeling’s tea gardens have their backs to the wall. Desperately poor and under-privileged, their only hope now is Narendra Modi.
Read this ground report by Jaideep Mazumdar to understand why Modi is the last hope for these tea gardens who’re otherwise staring at a bleak future.
Bihar's 4 Seats That Went To Polls Today In The First Phase
RJD will face off against three parties in NDA in Bihar's first phase of elections.
Jamui
Probably the most high-profile constituency of this phase.
PM Modi's campaign in Bihar began in Jamui.
Arun Bharti (LJPR) has replaced Chirag Paswan who has moved to Hajipur.
Bharti's challenges include dissatisfaction with Chirag’s performance.
His outsider status is being raised by RJD’s Archana Ravidas
BSP’s Sakaldev Das, who belongs to the same community as his, is also a challenge.
Nawada
Crucial for BJP due to strong Bhumihar presence, the landowning community which Tejashwi Yadav has been trying to sway away from BJP.
Anti-incumbency against incumbent Chandan Singh of LJP has been replaced by Vivek Thakur, a Bhumihar and son of senior leader and former Union Minister C P Thakur.
RJD’s Shrawan Kushwaha is raising the issue of Vivek being an outsider.
Bhojpuri Singer Gunjan Singh and Vinod Yadav may also sway votes from BJP & RJD.
Gaya
Reserved seat with 30%t Dalit votes, majority from Manjhi community.
The contest here is Jitan Ram Manjhi (HAM) vs. Kumar Sarvjeet (RJD)
Manjhi suffers from trust deficit but locals are upbeat about Modi
Impact of Modi government schemes' may sway results towards Manjhi.
Read this detailed ground report on the Gaya seat: https://swarajyamag.com/reports/ground-report-from-gaya-where-jitan-ram-manjhi-needs-an-nda-and-modi-boost
Aurangabad
As a Rajput stronghold, it is called the Chittorgarh of Bihar.
A bastion of Sushil Kumar Singh (NDA) who has won this seat in 1998, 2009, 2014 and 2019 as Samata Party, JDU and BJP candidate.
RJD’s candidate is Abhay Kushwaha, a turncoat from JDU.
Till now, no non-Rajput candidate has won this seat.
Traditional caste loyalties have become more complex with the entry of ‘development’ and ‘Hindutva’ issues.
‘Mango-Man’ Kejriwal’s Tryst With Mangoes
A Delhi court has reserved its order on a fresh plea by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal for insulin administration and daily video consultations with his doctor accompanied by his wife.
Kejriwal claimed his blood sugar levels have fluctuated dramatically during his judicial custody due to acute diabetes.
ED has alleged that Kejriwal is deliberately eating mangoes and sweets to spike his sugar levels to prepare grounds for bail.
This was refuted by Kejriwal's counsel.
However, the court noted the discrepancies in what Kejriwal was allowed to eat and actual home-cooked meals sent to jail.
"The deviations are certainly there. And they are without order of the court," it said.
Court asked for a jail diet report and clarifications on diet adherence.
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