Jharkhand bahus cast out of rural polls

RANCHI: They were betrothed to men in

Jharkhand

before the state was carved out of Bihar 22 years ago and have lived with their husbands for decades. But these 'bahus' have become political outcasts after the state government recently decided to enforce a 2019 order, banning anyone holding caste certificates issued by other states from contesting the upcoming panchayat polls in Jharkhand.

Dozens of women intending to fight for the posts of mukhiyas and ward members have been barred from contesting the rural polls after a scrutiny found they produced caste certificates issued by Bihar and other states, which are now unacceptable in Jharkhand. "The government's policy is unjust and marginalises women in politics. I have the support of my panchayat and will fight this injustice," said

Cathreen Tudu

, 43, a Santhal woman whose nomination for the post of mukhiya for Karmatar panchayat in Godda district was rejected during scrutiny on April 25. She was from Bihar's Purnia district and got married in 1989.

At least 40 contenders, including five for mukhiya posts, from

Jamua

in Giridih district were recently barred from contesting the polls after they produced caste certificates issued by Bihar.

In another case from the same area,

Rebeka Marandi

contested the panchayat samiti elections in 2015 and won from Chandana panchayat. But on April 26 this year, Marandi's nomination for the same post was rejected during scrutiny of her documents. Married in 2012,

Marandi

said, "I am from Bihar's Banka district, but my home is Jharkhand now. While women in the country have to leave their parental homes after marriage, the state machinery have reduced us to migrants, by stripping us of our basic rights and dignity."

"Jharkhand does not allow any reservation to people from outside the state irrespective of their caste. Therefore, women of other states from any reserved category and those married to Jharkhand men cannot contest on reserved seats," Simdega additional collector Amrendra Kumar Sinhae said.


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