A wait for nobody

Bismillaben Bano, who has been living here since the colony for the riot-affected was set up, says, “Nobody has come to talk to us or listen to our problems. So what is the point of voting for anybody?”

The over 500 Muslims here belong to Bhilada, Khedbrahma, Idar, Modasa and Vadali regions of the district. Residents complain of lack of drinking water and the absence of street lighting—not that any of the political parties cares to listen.

All the residents here have either had their houses looted, land captured or have been driven away from their villages. “We are among the luckier ones; at least we did not lose our family members like many others. But we had to start all over again.”

An old woman standing next to him minces no words. She says, “We were thrown out of our village. And now, no political leader comes even during the elections. We don’t count at all.”