Candidates’ absence fuels disappointment in Badi basti of Dodhara Chandani

Dodhara Chandani: As election campaigning intensifies across the country, Badi Basti in Dodhara Chandani-3 of Kanchanpur remains largely overlooked. Despite political parties and candidates actively seeking voter support elsewhere, residents of Baduwal Tole say their marginalized community—grappling with poverty, illiteracy and unemployment—has not received attention.

The settlement, inhabited for nearly three decades, is home to more than 100 households from the Badi community, along with families from other communities. Most residents depend on daily wage labor and employment in India for their livelihood. With elections approaching, they had hoped their longstanding issues would be addressed. However, they express disappointment that no candidate has visited the settlement to seek votes.

“So far, no leader has come to our settlement to seek votes. We have to flee at night for fear of wild animals, but when leaders do not come, we have not been able to put forward our demands,” said local resident Birbhane Badi.

Residents cite poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, elephant attacks, floods and erosion, landlessness, illegal smuggling and border disputes as the major challenges facing the settlement, which lies along the Indian border. Sita Badi said that if candidates had visited, residents would have had an opportunity to share their grievances. “We have many problems, but no one has come to ask for votes. We have had to endure many difficulties living on the border,” she said.

Resham Badi added that financial hardship forces children to leave school and seek employment in India. “We thought leaders would come and we could present our demands, but no one has come,” she said.

According to the National Census 2078, the Badi community’s population in Sudurpaschim Province stands at 2,580, with 458 residing in Kanchanpur. Poverty, landlessness and illiteracy have further worsened the community’s living conditions.