By Siddhant Mohan, TwoCircles.net,
Varanasi: In a democracy, opposition parties have every right to account governing party on all the possible issues handled by it and this is the reason that BJP party was very critical during Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP government in Delhi and had questioned every of AAP government’s decision taken throughout their 49 days of tenure. BJP fully utilized AAP ministries inexperience for its political benefit not only during their short governance of 49 days but even after their dissolving of government.
Before Lok Sabha elections BJP was not dropping any opportunity to counter all non allied parties – from Congress to AIADMK. Now that people have mandated it to center, it is their turn to answer every criticism hurled at them by opposition parties.
Vyomesh Shukla
TwoCircles.net spoke with the people of Varanasi in an attempt at gauging their views towards the elected government, especially their own elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi . There were mixed reactions from the people; some criticizing and terming Narendra Modi’s promises during elections to be merely eloquent speeches while some wish to give some more time to Narendra Modi to reflect his promises offered for the Banaras city.
TCN talked with Mr. Vyomesh Shukla, a poet and critic from Varanasi. He said, “Varanasi people have elected this government and therefore it has to take care of their feelings and promises provided to them before election. Modiji will have to first tell Banaras people how they should view ‘vikas’ (development) …along with introduction of Flyover, Model town, Metro train or bullet train in the city. Government would have to make sure that Banaras does not lose its ancient cultural touch”.
Vijay Chaurasiya at the Pan shop at a square was found upset with the BJP government who said, “Government has not started working on its promises in the last 3 months. It is enough time to reconstruct roads and other development in Banaras and it requires only one day to issue order for providing electricity. We have voted for development and therefore would ask government for fulfilling their assurances”.
A customer sitting near the pan shop immediately comes in the defense of BJP government and said, “See Modiji is PM of country and not of Banaras alone. He has to look for development of the country as a whole then why do you expect him to see Banaras development on more priority than the country?”
“On corruption Modiji has said number of times ‘Neither will eat nor will let eat’. Why do (he) utter such words, he should bring all (his) words into implementation but unfortunately till date the country is experiencing only promises and announcements”.
As expected Mr. Ajay Rai, Congress candidate from Banaras who lost to Narendra modi, criticized BJP government on all fronts and said, “This government has not done anything new so far but has rather fooled people who voted them to center as they are not fulfilling their promises.”
He disparaged Narendra Modi’s visits to Nepal and Bhutan immediately after assuming office while ignoring to visit places in India who voted him to power. “When the government itself claims that countries treasury does not have enough money then from where it is donating such a big amount to Bhutan and Nepal?”, he questioned government’s grace to these two countries.
Ajay Rai
When asked about government’s implementation of development plans in Banaras, he said, “The people of Banaras have not only voted for an MP but also for PM and their PM has not done any implementation in the direction of development for their city in last 3 months”.
Sunil Kumar, a tea vendor at Kabir Chaura who worked as a BJP activist during election got furious when asked ‘even after the ‘tea vendor’ himself have become PM but the prices of milk, sugar and gas are not coming down’ and said in an angry tone, “You people were not bothered when country’s money was going to Italy and Switzerland but asking now. The development work has started in the country; wait for some time and all your questions will be answered”.
Although Varanasi still holds expectation from Modi government to bring development but as of now the city is not experiencing any change. Electricity, as earlier, is available for 16-18 hours a day and people continue to face shortage of electricity at the peak hours of their business and study. Narendra Modi promised to make Banaras model town but people are confused here how they should perceive it to be ‘model’ when nothing has changed in last 3 months or the definition of Narendra Modi for model or development is different which they are not able to understand.
(Translate from TCN Hindi By A.Mirsab.)