Political bigwigs trade barbs at Malda village that lost a son

SYEDPUR (MALDA): Syedpur villagers had last seen a politician come to their place a year-and-a-half ago. Congress candidate from Sujapur Isha Khan Chowdhury had visited this village, once known as ‘khunider gram’ (village of marauders), in May 2016. Syedpur was left to itself for all these days till Afrajul’s killing in Rajasthan made it a pilgrimage for politicians on Saturday.
Trinamool and Congress heavyweights took a bumpy ride on the broken road, off NH-34 on the Farakka side, leading to this nondescript village.They had to take the trouble of walking through a dingy lane and make it to a cramped 10ftx10ft room to console the bereaved family. The victim’s widow, Gulmohor Biwi, sat in stony silence unlike the rural folk who usually break into a wail.
State urban development minister Firhad Hakim told the family members that chief minister Mamata Banerjee had sent them while others — Suvendu Adhikari, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Saugata Roy and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar — stood by him. Roy told the family that he will raise the issue in Parliament. Malda district magistrate handed over pension papers to the widow. When the political heavyweights left the room, the widow uttered a single word — ‘shasti’ (punishment) — for Afrajul’s killers.
Nobody in the village, not even Afrajul’s relatives Jasim and Ruksan Shiekh whom Afrajul had engaged for work in Rajasthan, would take it as ‘love jihad’. “We are not aware of any such thing. Afrajul was a labour supplier. He used to work there for years,” said Jasim, who brought the body back from Rajasthan. Rajya Sabha MP Pradip Bhattacharya, who stopped at the village on his way to Raigunj, said: “A section in Rajasthan has been into such killings to spread fear among labourers from other states. The purpose is to keep outsiders at bay.”
However, residents under the Jaluabadhal gram panchayat have little option. The local masjid is the tallest building in an area where animals and men drink water from the same pond. Men who make roads in Rajasthan have no roads to carry SUVs.
This Muslim village is a Congress turf and has remained loyal to the Ghani Khan Chowdhury family. The Trinamool delegation thus didn’t miss the opportunity to take a dig at Congress. Addressing a huge crowd that had gathered to catch a glimpse of politicians they usually see on television, Firhad Hakim said: “A communal force is trying to divide people. Our leader Mamata Banerjee won’t let it happen.” But then, realizing that the village was a Congress stronghold, he added: “Why is Congress making noises here? It claims to be an all-India party. Let them take to the streets in Rajasthan if they are sincere to the cause.”
Prompt came the reply from Congress MP Adhir Chowdhury: “Congress has already taken up Afrajul’s killing in Rajasthan.” His party colleague Sabina Yasmin said: “It’s good that the CM has announced compensation for the victim’s family. But the CM should find out why people from this village are leaving the state for jobs elsewhere.”
The political humdrum, however, was just a passing phase. Syedpur returned to isolation hours after the VVIP motorcade left. Jasmin and Ruksan Shiekh are leaving for Rajasthan within days. “What else do we do? Who will give us a Rs 400 daily wage?” said Jasim.