They are the last two villages on the Yamuna Expressway from where land was acquired for the project. Both Nagla Gola and Garhi Rami claim to have not got all that they expected from the Mayawati governments showpiece venture,but the Jatavs are clear their vote will go to the BSP. As Shyam Singh,just 19,explains,holding out his two hands,palms up,and slowly bringing them level to each other: Maybe we will finally be equal to the others. The last five years,according to the villager from Nagla Gola,have been a huge morale boost for his Jatav community,a Scheduled Caste that has traditionally been Mayawati supporters. The days of the Yadavs taunting people of his hamlet are over. It has stopped now. I have friends from all communities, Singh says,going as far as to say that the BSP government should favour all communities equally. Some of my qualified Yadav friends have been denied government jobs in favour of Jatavs. The area,which falls in Agra district,is part of the Etmadpur Assembly constituency and will vote on Tuesday. There were other promises by the BSP government that have remained promises. Nagla Golas Jatavs,for example,are set to lose the site where they lay their dead to rest. About 200 bighas (one bigha in UP is approximately 2,500sq m) of farmland,including the cremation site,has been acquired for the expressway. Normal life has been thrown out of gear,starting with acquisition of the farms that were used by most residents for daily ablutions in absence of toilets. The SDM (subdivisional magistrate) promised us that the company (Jaypee,which is building the Expressway) will find us an alternative cremation site. We were also promised a school,a toilet block and a community hall, says Jagan Singh. However,the self-respect that the Mayawati regime has provided them outweighs everything else. On the other side,at Rajput-dominated Garhi Rami though,few tears will be shed for Mayawati. Most Rajputs here will vote for the BJP,some for the Samajwadi Party, says Naresh Singh,a Rajput,adding that most parties have done little to help the farmers demand for better compensation. There is a good chance that if Rahul Gandhi had come here,we would have voted for him, Singh adds. Like in Nagla Gola,the Jatavs of this village were landowners,albeit of small holdings,who suddenly found themselves flush with cash. In both villages,residents,especially youngsters,complain of how thats spawned the problem of alcoholism among heads of families. Sunderlal,who was among the beneficiaries,got about Rs 80,000,which has all run out now. I married off a son and a daughter with the money, he says. Admitting that he doesnt work anymore,Sunderlal adds he is still happy. What did we get from Behenjis government? Shanti (peace).
