By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Guwahati: When it comes to the issues for fighting elections for the political parties, it can be vary which are often politically motivated to influence the emotion of the people in various ways but what really people expect from these political parties hardly given the due importance.
TwoCircles.net tried to know what the people especially the youths from different parts of Assam want the political parties to do if they win the majority in the 16th Lok Sabha polls which begins on April 7.
Main entrance of the Guwahati University
Most of the youths have wished that it’s the development and empowerment of the youths of the state and the country for a better tomorrow. Eventually, which will give solutions to many problems, they felt. However, there remain some major worries like flood, erosion and problems involving the illegal foreigners.
Palash Ranjan Das, a youth who hails from Hajo which comes under the Gauhati constituency said that agrarian economy should be given due importance for growth besides industrialisation so that skilled youth can be employed.
“One is economic and in my view we shall come up with policies that give a serious push to the rural agrarian economy in the state towards self- sufficiency. Also industrialisation should be given a boost so that more skilled youth can be employed and in the process several problems will be solved this way,” Das who works with State Bank of India told TwoCircles.net.
He is also concerned with the issue of illegal immigrants present in the state. He also said that the issue is being used by the political parties for their individual gains. “Realistic measures should be adopted to solve illegal immigrants’ problem which is harming the state. It’s not possible to bundle up people and throw them across the border. Stop playing politics with this and do something which can be beneficial for the state and country in the long run,” Das added.
For Abdul Kalam Azad, a research scholar at Tata Institute of Social Science in Guwahati who hails from Barpeta, it’s development and development. He felt that all round development can solve all the problems. “Under-development is one of the major issues for the state. An Inclusive development only can minimize the ethnic tension and political polarization. The marginalization and deprivation of people are being used as asset by the political establishment,” Kalam said.
Abu Khayer Ali, a state government employee in his late 20s belongs to Darrang district’s Dalgaon and for him it’s a very tough time for the people of the state due to the role played by the political parties and other organizations. “It’s crisis hour. Every now and then, we feel that common people like us are being misled and fooled by political parties and other organizations. Nobody really wants to bring a solution but everybody wants to gain by making things an issue. People of different tribes and communities started feeling insecure. I think to work in that regard and for overall development should be the main agenda right now,” Ali said.
Shahnoor Rahman, a final year medical student at Guwahati Medical College Hospital believed that empowerment of youth is the most important thing at the present situation.
“For a steady social scene the youths needed to be given power. There is another serious problem with the political parties diving people with the name of religion and communities which is harming the society in terrible way. Giving equal importance – education and other amenities to all the people is very necessary at the moment,” Rahman said.
Besides, for many there are some other critical issues for which the future seems to be grim for many.
“River erosion is the top issue of the state for me as a victim. It is one of the prime reasons behind many problems in the state. When poor people lose their plot of land to erosion and go out seeking for a work they are harassed in the name of illegal citizens, just because they are poor people. I have seen it many times. They also need to struggle to get a new plot of land thereafter,” said Ashraful Hussain, a youth who has been an activist for the last few years after suffering from so many problems at his home place Barpeta.
A political consensus has evolved in the state for updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) as well. For Mofidur Rahman, having an updated NRC in the state is the top issue this election.
“We have to live in constant fear of being harassed or driven out as Bangladeshis. So our top priority is to keep safe all documents such as copies of the 1966 voter list, land documents, ration card and the NRC (document), which can prove our Indian citizenship when challenged,” says the 23-year-old from Nawerbhita village of Dotma revenue circle in Kokrajhar district.
They also slam the political parties for playing politics with the Bangladeshi issue in different ways rather than trying to solve it in the real sense.