“Several youngsters said they had completed graduation and Inter (Class 12), but they have not been able to find any source of income. In many villages, several men were practicing running in the maidan as they were hoping to improve their speed, which is a requirement to be selected to the armed forces. But, the armed forces recruitment hadn’t happened in over two years in most of these areas,” explained Venu.Farmers in these parts highlighted that the amount of food grains that the government gave as a part of Covid-19 package was less than what the stray cattle eat of their crops. It was much too less and disregarded the dignity of families. Most people discounted the free rations that the government provided as they wanted to improve their lives and not live at the mercy of the government.Freelance journalist Saba Naqvi also pointed out that many of those who took the free ration did not intend to vote for the ruling party. She had travelled extensively through Uttar Pradesh during the election campaign. Many in the state, she said, wanted more than just survival. They didn’t want the “charity” thrown at them in the form of grains.Naqvi pointed out that the abandoned and stray cattle is a major talking point this election and BJP is directly responsible for the worsening situation. There is anger against the ruling party because of this too. It is an outcome of the misguided “cow protection” policies of the government.“Many wanted jobs to be able to buy their own food. Everyone was talking about the acute economic distress, and BJP has not addressed it according to people in these regions. The discourse, wherever we went, was on lack of livelihood options, falling number of jobs and inflation. Many complained of not being able to fill the tanks of their motorcycles due to rising prices,” added Venu. He pointed out that they did not come across a single person praising BJP.
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