Families of nautch girls may press NOTA button in Bihar

Chaturbhujsthan (Muzaffarpur): This locality in the heart of Muzaffarpur town is home to around 800 families of nautch girls. Leading a miserable life, all these families have decided not to cast their votes for this Lok Sabha election. Most of them may opt for None Of The Above (NOTA) option.

It is a red-light area, where illiteracy and unemployment prevails. “Political leaders visit the area during election campaign as there are around 6,000 voters from the families living in the locality. There are four polling stations for the residents of Chaturbhujsthan. More than 6,000 families of nautch girls, living in a scattered way in other parts of Muzaffarpur district also cast their votes. We are pressing for job reservation for the children of nautch girls,” said Rani Begum, a former nautch girl and councillor of ward number 40 of Muzaffarpur Municipal Corporation.

Pale Khan, son of a nautch girl, said, “I am a graduate. There are other children of nautch girls who are well qualified but are unable to find a job. There should be job reservation for the children of nautch girls. We have formed a youth community for them and visiting every house of nautch girls requesting them not to waste their votes. We are explaining them the NOTA option.. “None of the politicians has brought any change in our lives, so this year we have decided not to cast our vote. In case we cast our vote, we will opt for NOTA,” said Malika Devi.

Baby Devi, the eldest of her family of 10 but unaware of her age, said, “We did not enter this profession on our own. With no father around and mothers alone, the birth of a girl is never awaited here. We are just delivered into this world, as the mothers have to get back to work. It is a question of livelihood. We want job reservation for our children. We want them to join mainstream of the society.”

Nargis, another nautch girl, said, “We are fed up with the situation. Hamare haq ke liye bolne se agar koi leader ka izzat jati hai, to humein bhi koi leader ko vote nai dena. Humse pichhada kaun hoga, hum to ati- pichhadon mein ate hain (The leaders are ashamed of raising our rights, we will also not vote for any of them. Who is more backward than us, we come from the most backward section)”.

Mehar Banu, 28 said, “Look at the drains and roads of the locality. This is what we vote for? When police conduct raids here, nobody comes to our rescue. Our minor girls are picked up by police and they face the harassment of police interrogation. Why do the ministers not make any policy for the children of nautch girls?”

Courtesy: TNN