Cash-for-Votes Scandal Rocks Navi Mumbai Housing Society
Residents of a housing society in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, witnessed a shocking incident on Tuesday evening. Around 9:30 PM, their doorbells rang unexpectedly. When they opened their doors, they found half-a-dozen workers from a national political party standing outside.
The Campaigning Ritual
These workers were actively canvassing for their candidates. They politely asked for the names of voters in each household. The men provided voting slips that detailed polling booth locations and numbers. They requested residents to vote for their candidate, exchanging smiles and friendly greetings throughout the process.
Everything seemed normal until the workers presented something unusual. They handed over envelopes to the residents, calling them "gifts." Inside each envelope were four crisp Rs 500 notes. The workers offered one envelope for every voter in the house.
The Swift Operation
By the time residents realized the monetary value of these "gifts," the workers had already moved to the next door. They repeated the same ritual at multiple households: request, smile, and cash envelope. The doorbells kept ringing throughout the society.
However, one beneficiary felt deeply uncomfortable with this exchange. This resident decided to call a reporter who lives in the same housing society. The reporter, without revealing their association with any media organization, approached the workers.
The Confrontation
When questioned about whether they were indeed distributing cash for votes, the workers remained silent. Soon after, another resident alerted them that some society members were unhappy with their brazen actions. The reporter then directly asked which political party they represented and highlighted the illegality of their activities.
Faced with these questions, the workers made a hasty retreat from the premises. The reporter observed something even more concerning as the incident unfolded. A pick-up van, visibly loaded with cash, was parked right outside the housing society. This vehicle appeared to be waiting for the workers to complete their distribution rounds.
This incident raises serious questions about electoral integrity in the region. The brazen nature of the cash distribution, combined with the organized operation involving multiple workers and a support vehicle, suggests a systematic attempt to influence voters through monetary means.
