In the Kakore area of Mirzapur district, Uttar Pradesh, families from the Prajapati community have reported being denied access to drinking water after a public borewell, their primary source of clean water, was allegedly destroyed with the complicity of local officials and strongmen.
Local residents stated that the borewell served nearly 5,000 individuals from economically marginalized communities, forcing them to resort to using polluted water from drains and nearby rivers. Residents who protested the destruction claim they faced threats of violence, including possible police action.
The community and local activists have accused the administration of discrimination, arguing that despite the government’s promotion of an “Amrit Kaal” period, marginalized groups continue to be deprived of essential resources such as drinking water. In a video shared on social media, resident Anshika Prajapati claimed, “There was a public bore for us to drink water. They (people from the administration) came and destroyed the boring.”
Chandrashekhar Azad, a Member of Parliament and Bhim Army Chief, highlighted the issue on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Under the rule of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, officials are ignoring both the spirit of the Constitution and human sensitivity.” He criticized the government, saying, “If even in ‘Amrit Kaal’, backward communities and Prajapatis are being deprived of water, then this is not Amrit Kaal, but a poisonous era for humanity.”
Residents described dire circumstances, with one noting, “We are forced to drink dirty water from the river, the gutter, and the drains. We have to walk at least 2-3 kilometers to get water.” Another individual alleged that the district’s police superintendent and district officer were responsible for the destruction, claiming, “In an attempt to deprive us of the right to life and attempting to kill us by starving, they destroyed the boring.”
Critics of the incident have labeled it as indicative of entrenched caste discrimination within local governance structures. To date, the administration has not released an official statement regarding the allegations.
Azad has called for immediate measures from the Yogi Adityanath-led government, including the suspension of those officials implicated in the incident, strict repercussions for the accused strongmen, restoration of the public borewell, resumption of water supply, and provision of security and compensation for families affected by the situation.
Tags: Mirzapur, Prajapati community, drinking water access, borewell destruction, water crisis
Hashtags: #Mirzapur #Prajapati #community #alleges #denial #access #drinking #water #borewell #destroyed
