Jind villagers to boycott vote in protest over canal expansion

In protest against the government's failure to expand an irrigation canal, the residents of Budha Khera Lather village in Haryana's Jind district have decided to abstain from voting in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The villagers at a panchayat held yesterday decided not to cast their votes in the polls. They also decided not to allow any political leaders to campaign in their village.
Sarpanch of Budha Khera Lather in Julana tehsil Ravindra Kumar said after repeated requests the state government had accepted the demand to extend the Khilajafergarh canal so that it could benefit farmers of five more villages.

But the plan was recently cancelled leaving the farmers hopeless, Kumar alleged.
"No one from the village will participate in election campaigning of any candidate," Kumar said, adding that any person who did not follow the panchayat's decision would be punished.