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Sonitpur, April 16: With the Lok Sabha elections drawing near, political fervour sweeps through Assam as candidates from both the ruling and opposition parties intensify their campaigns. Amidst the electoral buzz, a remarkable village nestled in Rangapara, Sonitpur, has captured the spotlight, becoming a symbol of democratic participation and legacy.
In Phulguri Nepalipam village, a clan comprising 300 families and descendants stands out for its impressive electoral influence. Of the 2,500 members belonging to these families, a staggering 1,106 individuals are eligible voters in the upcoming elections, making it a significant electoral constituency.
At the heart of this village lies the Thapa family, whose head, Ron Bahadur Thapa, commanded respect and influence until his demise. Despite his absence, the family's legacy endures, with successive generations continuing to reside in the village and actively participate in the democratic process.
According to sources, for over a century, spanning generations, they have cast their votes at the Phulguri Nepalipam Primary School polling station, upholding their democratic rights with pride.
The origins of the Thapa family's journey to Sonitpur trace back to 1906, when Ron Bahadur Thapa migrated from Nepal to escape an epidemic, settling in the village with his grandfather. Over time, the family grew, with Ron Bahadur establishing himself as a respected village leader and landowner, cultivating acres of land until his passing at the age of 117.
Ron Bahadur had five wives, namely, Hark Maya, Hari Maya, Kali Maya, and Kavi Maya. The family consisting of 12 sons and 11 daughters gradually became an entire village.
Meanwhile, except for Ron Bahadur's youngest daughter Geeta being appointed as an Anganwadi worker, everyone in this family, which does not have a government job, continues to do farming and business.
Presently, Til Bahadur Thapa, Ron Bahadur's son, serves as the village elder, overseeing the family's affairs. While the Thapa family's electoral influence has garnered attention, their village grapples with pressing challenges, primarily cantered around agriculture and infrastructure.
Despite their significant electoral presence, villagers lament the lack of government attention to their plight, citing agricultural hardships, inadequate infrastructure, and wildlife encroachment as persistent issues.
The villagers said that they are grappling with a looming food crisis due to delay in cultivation, exacerbated by their heavy reliance on agriculture as their primary source of income. With few alternative livelihood options, some members seek employment in other states. They further alleged that the government's water supply scheme has failed. Moreover, the crops are often destroyed by the wild elephants during the harvest season.
The people of the village face a food crisis if they do not cultivate on time. Most of the members are not financially strong in diverse areas other than agriculture. The pucca houses are also not up to the mark. The agrarian people of the village have to depend entirely on nature while farming. Deprived of government benefits, the villagers expressed displeasure over the failure to resolve the issues despite their demands to the government.
