For electorate in three tribal Assembly segments in Himachal Pradesh, the vote for change over last decades hasn’t made much difference in the hardships they face.
Their struggle for access to basic amenities like road connectivity, education and health continues even after 70 years of independence and they are a picture perfect of neglect.
Out of total 68, Himachal Pradesh has tribal Assembly constituencies- Kinnaur, Lahaul Spiti and Bharmour (in Chamba district).
All the three constituencies have tough terrain and hostile weather.
Out of these, Lahaul valley in Lahaul Spiti is cut off from rest of the world and with Spiti by road for five months in winters, when it snows on Rohtang (13050 ft) and Kunzum (15060 ft) Passes. Pangi in Bharmour is extremely difficult to reach through out the year.
And although huge amount of money allocated by Centre for tribal areas is pumped in by the state government for development in tribal constituencies, not much progress is seen on the ground.
“The roads are continuously bad, the telephone signals are not there, the health institutions don’t have doctors and specialists and schools don’t have teachers. But who is bothered? The repeated representations by people fall on deaf ears. So what do we do?” said some tribals.
Many people from tribal areas of Himachal are settled outside now looking for greener pastures. “Those who choose to stay back are on the mercy of God, not government,” lamented Krishen Thakur, 68, a farmer in Spiti.
The government systems fail to function in tribal pockets, which almost function in desolation, for lack of vigil by high ups in distantly located state headquarters
This time, however, Forest minister, Thakur Singh Bharmouri (Bharmour) and Deputy Speaker, HP Assembly, Jagat Singh Negi (Kinnaur) had fair chance to work for their areas.
The system remained the same, share locals.
Lahaul Spiti MLA (Congress, Ravi Thakur did raise many issues with the state government, but he seemingly had little say, given his leaning with the rivals of Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh in Congress.
In Kinnaur, for past many polls, apart from absence of basic facilities, the people have been raising the relevant issue of damage to environment due to hydro electric projects.
“Look at the political callousness. The successive governments have proceeded with hydro power agenda even in other tribal areas,” said RS Negi, a retired IAS officer and convener of Him Lok Jagriti Manch (an awareness forum) in Rekcong Peo.
Negi however appreciates the Election Commission for at least principally deciding to conduct polls in the entire state, including tribal segments, together since 2007- unlike in the past when polls to tribal constituencies were held after formation of government based on 65 segments for weather constraints.
The trend:
In 2012, Congress won all the three seats, in 2007, BJP took all the three. In 2003, three tribal seats went with Congress (polls were held after Congress had already formed government).
Similarly, in 1998, when BJP had already formed the government, it emerged victorious in polls to three tribal seats, which were held later.