Following the recent arrest of a father and son duo for cutting off water supply to a village in Bharuch after a failed election, a new incident has emerged in Valsad district. In this case, a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is accused of restricting access to a borewell, allegedly as a consequence of the party’s loss in a local election.
Residents of Tabadmal Faliya in Gadhvi village, Valsad, experienced a shortage of drinking water for two days when BJP worker Amresh Budher prohibited them from using a borewell, which was funded by the state government on gram panchayat property. This action followed the Congress party’s victory in a specific seat during the Kaprada taluka panchayat elections held on April 26.
The Kaprada taluka panchayat comprises 22 seats, with the BJP securing 18 and the Congress winning 4. Gadhvi village’s sarpanch, Bapu Kharprade, affiliated with the BJP, noted that his daughter-in-law was defeated by Congress candidate Manisha Gond for the Suliya seat, which falls under the Kaprada taluka.
Kharprade stated, “I learned on Tuesday that Amresh Budher was denying villagers access to the borewell, and I cautioned him. I previously served as the sarpanch in 2012 when the borewell was established with state funding. Amresh is known for his impulsive behavior. After a meeting with him and village revenue official Chetan Bhoye, we threatened to file a police report, which prompted an apology from him. Shortly after, the villagers regained access to the borewell.”
Bharat Surum, a local resident, explained, “Amresh claimed the borewell was installed at his request and asserted that he had the authority to deny others access to it. He also mentioned that since the BJP received fewer votes from our street in the recent elections, only his family and relatives would be permitted to draw water from it. As a result, women from the village had to travel long distances to collect drinking water, which we reported to the local authorities. Today, we were finally able to use the borewell.”
Reports indicate that during the weekend, Budher allegedly informed the residents that “35 families, approximately 200 individuals, who reside on the street had not voted for the BJP.” Since the village sarpanch was away, residents felt unable to confront Budher at that time.
On both Monday and Tuesday, women from Tabadmal Faliya trekked around 800 meters to fetch water in plastic containers and buckets. Subsequently, locals presented their concerns to Kaprada taluka development officer Anand Patel, who instructed the village talati to resolve the situation.
Talati Bhoye shared with The Indian Express, “Our village has a population of roughly 700, and it is located near the Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Amresh acknowledged his wrongdoing and submitted an apology letter to us, which we have sent to our higher authorities. Since Wednesday afternoon, the villagers have been able to access water from the borewell.”
In response, BJP MLA from Kaprada, Jitu Chaudhary, remarked, “Amresh Budher is an active member of our party, and after learning about this incident, we spoke with him. We firmly advised him against such behavior. He later complied with our guidance and allowed the villagers to access the water.”
Efforts to reach Budher for comment were unsuccessful.
Kamal Saiyed, a senior correspondent for The Indian Express, covers extensive stories from Surat and the surrounding South Gujarat region, including the Union territories of Daman, Diu, and Dadra Nagar Haveli. With a reporting career that began in 2007, he has become a recognized authority on the industrial, social, and political landscape of one of India’s rapidly growing urban centers.
Expertise:
Industrial & Economic Coverage: Based in the “Diamond City,” Saiyed provides in-depth reporting on the diamond and textile sectors, tracking shifts in global markets and local trade policies, along with socio-economic challenges in Surat’s manufacturing hubs.
Civic & Infrastructure Reporting: His work includes urban development and public safety issues in Surat, such as monitoring traffic violations and public safety compliance.
Political Reporting: Saiyed follows the evolving political dynamics among the BJP, Congress, and AAP in South Gujarat and neighboring Union Territories.
Crime Reporting: With a robust network of sources, he highlights the human aspects of crime stories within his region.
