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Coimbatore
Tribals refuse to vote; protest delay in implementing demands
May 16, 2016
Tension ensued at a polling booth in the Nilgiris district when about 590 tribal voters in Naganpalli, coming under Mudumalai Tiger Reserve forest area, decided to boycott the polls, as their demand for an alternate housing site was not met by the successive governments.
Various governments had promised to provide alternate land for them, as they were living in thatched houses, without power, safe drinking water, and other basic amenities. But, nothing was done. The angry villagers decided to boycott the polls and did not cast their votes till 9.30 AM.
Hearing reports about the protests, Gudalur RDO, Venkatachalam, and other officials rushed to the spot to convince the tribals to cast their votes. It took the officials nearly two and half hours to reach there.
After much persuasion, the voters, including 230 women, agreed to cast their votes.
