Nagpur votes on April 11, 2019 and the political climate wouldn’t have been more buzzing than it is right now. People of Nagpur city are a witness to the tangible developments around them. One thing is for sure, people of Nagpur are hopeful and so is the youth. The youth of the city is aware and informed of the current political and socio-economic topography than ever before. They have a mind of their own, they’re cognizant and they’re not afraid to speak up.
We spoke to a few youngsters from the city, (few of them first time voters) and tried to gauge what they think of the present scenario. When asked,
- Would you vote for the party or the candidate?
There has been a mixed response amongst the youth when it comes to voting for a party versus voting for the candidate. 23 years old, graduate in English and a School Teacher, says that he would vote for the party. Another 23 year old, Media Professional from the city said,he would vote for the candidate but then it has to be a combination of both. He is of the opinion that “we, as common people might not be well-versed with the bearings of the political parties and their subsequent mechanics”. The first point of relatability for any voter is the face who is contesting the election.
- What changes vis-a-vis the city, infrastructure and social development would the youth of Nagpur like to see this time around?
There has been a consensus of sorts on this one. The youth expects a systematic development process, one which does not hamper the common man’s mobility in and around the city. People are sorely affected by the haphazard traffic management in the city and they want alternate routes to be created. They want better city planning especially during infrastructural modifications, like one with the metro construction going on right now.What resounds with almost every person in the city is improvement in sectors like sanitation and water, waste management and public transport, which would eventually contribute in preserving our natural resources and environment.Since, Nagpur was the first city in India to have electric Ola cabs, investing in a fleet of electric buses would be the best thing that the new government could do, suggests a budding entrepreneur.
- What are the imminent issues that need addressal?
In the times when everything is getting digitalized, a plethora of information on everything and about everyone is available online; the youth thinks it is like a double edged sword. Since, the new generation is the biggest consumer of online space, who better to know the existing caveats and the deterrents.And that is why we need more stringent cyber laws to be enforced. They want stricter actions on cyber bullying and cyber crime. Many young women, who travel inter-city for work, want helpline numbers either to be flashed on their phones or at airports, stations or printed on their boarding passes or their tickets. This, they think is extremely important, considering the exacerbating crime rate against women in our country.So, better safety for women should be a priority.
Finally, the outcome of the election could be a partisan matter but what’s beyond the parties, castes and religion is the common sentiment that echoes with the youth of Nagpur and our nation in all its entirety, and that is genuine work by the people and for the people. Any country would have its own sets of issues to be addressed at all times, ranging from basic availability of clean drinking water to robust social and economic reforms, to more sophisticated ones but the rudimentary fabric of any nation and any government stays intact, and that is their leaders’ veracity and integrity and everything else just follows earnestly.
