Ustad Bismillah Khan's family boycotts UP Polls

VARANASI: The kin of late sehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan on Thursday refrained from casting their votes in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls to protest the "apathy" of the Central and the state governments towards fulfilling their promise to provide financial assistance to the family.

"We decided to boycott the elections as none of the promises like financial assistance, setting up of a cultural academy and funds for construction of the Ustad's mausoleum have been fulfilled eight months after his death," Nayyar Hussain, the son of the Bharat Ratna awardee, said.

"All of us (65 electors) from the late sehnai wizard's family decided to register our protest over the apathy of the Centre and state governments towards fulfilling their promises," he said.

They refrained from exercising their franchise at Harha Sarai polling booth under the City (North) assembly constituency, he said.

Hussain claimed that apart from the Ustad's family, over 2400 other voters also decided to boycott the elections in solidarity with them.

He urged the authorities to immediately provide them financial assistance, including a petrol pump, as they were in dire conditions and needed financial support to sustain themselves after the demise of the sehnai maestro, their sole earning member, late last year.

He also appealed for setting up of a cultural academy in the name of the late Ustad and release of funds for construction of his mausoleum.