How many of our brothers and sisters are there, who studied in Nepal?
Vote for them, everyone has gone to India...

Khima BK, 35, of Dhungachalna, Dhaka-6, Bihar, India, who had reached Bihar, India for employment, expressed her dissatisfaction through the Deuda song on the eve of the House of Representatives elections. The Deuda song she mentioned on social media expresses the pain of leaving her birthplace and moving abroad, the disappointment caused by election promises, and the concern for the future of the young generation. After she posted a snippet of the song on social media, it gained the attention of many.

‘Leaders only visit villages during elections and make promises,’ said Khima, ‘No one comes back after the elections.’ Leaders who return only during elections after a long time make promises to lure voters. She said that public trust in politics has eroded as such promises never come true. ‘They say we will build roads in the villages, we will bring light,’ she said, ‘They behave like they are being beaten with sticks after the election.’ After voicing her complaint, she recited another part of the Deuda song:

Gaungharma road puryaunla, uygulaj bhaanna
After winning the election, they will beat them with sticks.

Khima was active as a UML worker. She used to sing songs while participating in party programs. She conveyed the party’s policies and plans to the people through songs and complained that she did not get the expected support from the party and its leaders in difficult situations in her life. ‘I worked as an active worker of UML,’ Khima said, ‘Many people know that big events have happened in my life. No one cared.’ She said that she used to use people who were friendly to her and only gave false assurances.

She said that it was better to come and work abroad than to wander around as an activist when no one cared about her when she was in trouble. According to her, earlier, men from remote hilly areas used to go to India to earn money. She said that now women from rural areas have also started coming to India as workers. She said that women are doing household work, cleaning, taking care of the elderly and children, and washing cars.

The youth who go to India from here for work do watchmanship in the market, house maintenance, cleaning, and washing dishes in hotels. However, Pushpa Bik of Mangalsen-5 said that this time he could not return to his village after asking for leave for the elections. ‘I remember the atmosphere of the elections in the country. I think the winner would have done a good job,’ he said, ‘We cannot just leave work and go to vote, we spent our time here working as laborers.’ Our children should not suffer like this.' He also wants to see the working people win the election this time. According to him, most of the people in the village are now in India. Due to which, he said, many ordinary people will not be able to vote.

India is the destination for foreign employment for youth in many villages in the districts of the Far West. Mane Nepali of Dhakari-7, Thara, who is working in India, said that the election atmosphere in the villages will be weak as many residents are abroad. 'Only the elderly and children are left in the village. As many voters are in India,' he said, 'Those who give false assurances cannot even go to vote, those who have gone abroad because they did not get an opportunity in the country should also be allowed to participate in the vote. But no one cares about us.'

Man Bahadur Shahi of Kamalbazar-6 in Maharashtra, India, said that he knows much more about India than Nepal's politics. 'I am 55 years old. It has been 40 years since I started working in India,' he said, 'I don't know which party or leader in Achham, I will only know when there is an election in India.' He said that when he first went home, he registered his name in the voter list. 'I haven't been able to vote yet,' he said, 'It is difficult to use the voter card.'

He said that despite working in India for more than four decades, he still doesn't have a place to live. 'Here too, those who are educated and knowledgeable get good jobs,' he said, 'People who are uneducated like us don't get good jobs.' He said that not only men and women of advanced age but also children are forced to drop out of school when they have to come in search of work. 'Children have not been able to study due to the burden of household work. There are children without parents,' he said, 'If they had found work in Nepal, there would not have been such a mess.' There was no environment to return to the country.'