Wed Nov 20 17:16:12 UTC 2024: ## Uran Residents Boycott Maharashtra Assembly Elections Over 40-Year-Long Rehabilitation Promise

**Uran, Maharashtra –** Residents of Sheva Koliwada in Uran, Raigad district, boycotted the Maharashtra Assembly elections on November 20th, 2024, in protest against a 40-year-old unfulfilled promise of rehabilitation. Displaced in 1984 due to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) township project, approximately 600 families have been living in cramped, substandard transit camps since.

The boycott followed a report in *The Hindu* highlighting their plight. Following the report, election officials and the Raigad District Collector visited the village, promising to address their demands after the elections. However, this failed to persuade the residents, who allege intimidation and threats from political parties in the lead-up to the vote.

Residents claim they faced threats of job losses and document cancellation (Aadhaar, Voter ID, Ration Card) from the Shiv Sena (UBT) and BJP if they did not vote. Several residents, including elderly citizens and first-time voters, corroborated these allegations. While the Deputy Collector assured an investigation, residents reported no police action.

The residents, primarily fisherfolk and farmers, were promised compensation and resettlement upon displacement. Despite legal battles and appeals, including a petition to the Bombay High Court, they remain in their dilapidated living conditions. They previously boycotted the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well.

While the Returning Officer denied the allegations of intimidation, the Deputy Collector (Rehabilitation) acknowledged the complaints and stated that 10 hectares of land have been earmarked for resettlement, pending central government approval. He anticipates the completion of the resettlement by December 2025.

The incident highlights the ongoing struggle of displaced communities and raises questions about the effectiveness of government rehabilitation efforts and the role of political parties in ensuring fair elections. The boycott served as a stark demonstration of the community’s frustration and desperation.

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