Prakash believes that dialogue is the only solution to the Maoist problem.
In Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, a young tribal doctor named Prakash Kumar Gota, who lost three family members to Maoist violence, has decided to contest the upcoming elections as an independent candidate.
Prakash, a doctor, entered politics to tackle the ‘oppression’ in Bastar due to violence and lack of justice. He is running as an independent candidate for the Bastar Lok Sabha seat.
“My name is Prakash Kumar Gota and I am an independent candidate for constituency number 10 in Bastar region. I live in Gram Panchayat, Bijapur, Chhattisgarh. I have completed my medical studies. I entered the electoral arena driven by the oppression I faced at the hands of the government and administration. The aim of my candidacy is to address the oppression we face in our area, which is South Bastar, where gunfire is a daily occurrence. We are struggling to survive and fighting for our lives,” he told ANI.
#WATCH | Chhattisgarh | Jagdalpur, Bastar: Prakash Kumar Gota, an independent candidate, who has completed his medical studies, decides to contest the election from Bastar Lok Sabha constituency.
He says: “…It was not possible to complete my medical studies here, so I went… pic.twitter.com/T4IL72FD50
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) April 5, 2024
“My brother was kidnapped by Maoists and attempts were made to kill him. I requested an inquiry through the government but it was not carried out. My father was killed by Maoists and my grandfather met the same fate. That is why I I stand here as a victim of circumstances. My brother is currently in a coma,” he said.
He believes that dialogue is the only solution to the Maoist problem in the area.
“This (the Maoist problem) can only be solved through dialogue; otherwise the gunfire will not stop,” he said.
The elections in Chhattisgarh’s eleven parliamentary constituencies will be held in three phases on April 19, 26 and May 7. The counting of votes will take place on June 4.
The BJP, which has a stronghold in Chhattisgarh, won nine seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha, while the Indian National Congress (INC) was limited to just two seats. In the 2014 elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 10 seats, while the INC managed to win only one seat.
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