Gujarat: The village which has banned political campaigning

Immune to bickering amongst politicians in the election season, Raj-Samadhiyala village in the vicinity of Rajkot goes through its daily routine as no political party is allowed to campaign in the village.

"No party comes to campaign in this village be it the Congress or the BJP. We think that campaigning will disturb the atmosphere as one half of the population will campaign for one party and the other half will support the other party. The parties also willingly accept this," said the village Sarpanch representative Ashok Vaghela.

The village votes close to 100 per cent voting with deliberate abstaining from voting fined with Rs. 51. The Sarpanch of the village is also elected by consensus nipping factionalism amongst villagers in the bud.

 

With most of the disputes resolved through Lok Adalats, the village prohibits a range of activities beginning from littering, spitting, causing harm to government property and even prohibits young men from sitting idle and loitering in the village.

Seen as the model village for the nation, the plastic-free village boasts of all the basic infrastructural facilities starting from proper roads, a hospital, a wifi-system, an enviable cricket stadium, an RO water plant and what not. The village also flanks many awards including the felicitation by the President.

Lok Sabha polls in the country are scheduled to be held in seven phases starting from April 11 and ending on May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23. (ANI)

.