10 October,2009 07:36 AM IST | | Kranti Vibhute
Raj Thackeray's MNS is losing its vote bank. After nine lakh women from the Devadasi community decided not to vote for them on October 13, Mumbai's dabbawalas too have decided to boycott the election after their pleas fell on deaf ears.
After some schools disallowed dabba services post the 26/11 attacks, Raj's wife Sharmila had assured them that she would look into their problems.
However, she backed out after the schools said they wouldn't be responsible for any untoward incident.
Pareen Bagli, principal, New Activity School at Peddar Road and secretary of the association of ICSE, said, "A majority of schools, including us, immediately stopped dabba services after 26/11."
Nathu Balwant Yadav, a dabbawala from the western suburbs, said, "After we were disallowed by schools, the MNS came to our rescue, but many dabbawalas still lost their jobs.
We are upset with the MNS as well as another party that we approached. If the MNS could help Jet Airways employees get their jobs back, why can't they do the same for us? Had Raj visited the schools, it would have made a difference. Most of us won't vote this time because no party deserves our votes."
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Added Raghunath Medage, president, dabbawalas' association, "It is obvious that the dabbawalas who have lost their jobs, will boycott the election."
The Other Side
Shirish Parkar, MNS spokesperson, said, "We will help the dabbawalas end their woes. But helping them is not the duty of one party. Others should also come forward. "
