Deepak Kumar Singh: Journeys in the waste(d) land

My Week

Travelling under the scorching sun in Uttar Pradesh's rural hinterland is a lot less exciting than in the past, with the Election Commission making elections a frugal, colourless affair. One misses those flags, wall writings and slogan-shouting supporters atop vehicles. Villagers recount the same old stories about poverty, unemployment and disease. Does this dampen or brighten the prospects of the Mulayams, Mayawatis or Rahuls? Unlikely.

What does one write then? Can't rehash previous election stories either. The boss was clear: "no caste, no religion, don't bore me and the readers." Election reporting isn't fun any more. At a tea stall in Jagdishpur, talks centre on the eight-term Congress MLA Ram Sewak. His brother is still a washerman. "He himself ironed my shirt one day as his brother was not there," says an old man. What about development works? "Nobody does anything. Ram Sewak is at least humble."

Tuesday Getting up at 6 am (midnight for me), the only happy thought is the surety of a story in a VIP constituency. Should I compare Sonia Gandhi's Rae Bareli with Mulayam Singh's Saifai in terms of prosperity? Or should I focus on the smooth drive after entering the Nehru-Gandhi family's pocket borough? I can see the headline "" Island of Prosperity in Sunken UP. I get a rude jolt as I enter Rae Bareli. The VIP tag mocks at this backward district witnessing large-scale migration. But, hey, that's another story!

Wednesday The UP Development Council with Amar Singh as Chairman and top industrialists as members is my story of the day, I think. There are reports about investment proposals between Rs 25,000 crore and Rs 47,000 crore. Why are officials reluctant to talk then? A suggestion comes at the Indian Industries Association office: "Ask them how much is on paper and how much on the ground. Except Rs 5,000 crore or so in the sugar sector, nothing has happened." PHDCCI office-bearers have other concerns: "What if there is a change of regime?" Too many presumptions and assumptions are creeping into my story. Giving it up is a safer option. This is appraisal time in the office.

Thursday On a whirlwind tour of Banda district, I meet the landless, illiterate Achhelal in Madhopur village. Cops frequent his one-room mud house. He produces a bundle of papers""bank notices for loan repayment. While Achhelal sold wood to arrange one meal a day, he owed over a lakh rupees to five banks. He and his wife had withdrawn around Rs 50,000 from kisan credit cards. "Some people" (middlemen) had taken their thumb impressions for years, giving them Rs 200 to 500 on each occasion. I come across many such cases in this suicide-prone region. People are taking fresh loans to repay the old ones. I recall the finance minster's words about increasing farm credit to Rs 225,000 crore this year.

Also...

There is a general advisory against traveling in the Bundelkhand region after 7 pm. But, on Friday, as it grows dark in the Naraini constituency, people are quite blase about it: "No problems here any more. You will be safe." The reason: the mother of a dreaded dacoit is contesting the election. The dacoit has guaranteed peace if people elect his mother.