Voices of Gujarat: ‘Workforce Sits Idle’, ‘BJP Has Looted Gujarat’

From unemployment to farmers’ issues, these 5 voters talk about what will define their vote in Gujarat elections.

From GST to farmers’ issues, these 5 voters talk about what will define their vote in the Gujarat elections.

(Photo: The Quint)

A 36-year-old HR professional, a diamond trader, a farmer and more – watch these people from Gujarat talk about what will define their vote this election.

Our Intelligent Workforce is Sitting Idle: 36-Year-Old HR Professional

Thirty-six-year-old Shweta Goyal has a degree in civil engineering and yet she had to shift fields and take up an HR job.

"I did not find a suitable job in my field," Goyal says, adding that most of her friends who have degrees had to move out of Ahmedabad due to a lack of jobs.

Girls are really interested in working, but the job market hasn’t improved in the last decade. In fact, it has become worse. Unemployment is endemic here.

"Big companies don't want to come here since they don't get the required incentive," she adds.

BJP Has Looted Gujarat For More Than 2 Decades: 30-Year-Old Farmer

A Patidar farmer from Rajkot, 30-year-old Hitesh Khokharia says he would definitely vote for the Congress in the Assembly elections, as the BJP government has been looting Gujarat for the last two decades.

Flanked by like-minded people, Khokharia lists out several issues facing the farmer community, also asserting that Patidars in Gujarat have faced a lot of injustice.

We don’t get a proper rate for our crops. For cotton, we used to get a much higher rate when Congress was in power. Today, the rate has come down drastically. Moreover, farmers here are not getting proper electricity supply, despite the government’s promises.

GST and Note Ban Have Hit Small Traders Like me: 50-Year-Old Diamond Merchant

Fifty-year-old Rameshbhai Sukhadia, a diamond trader, is unhappy about the effect of GST and note ban on his business.

He complains that the BJP government’s policies have not affected big traders as much as it has hit small traders like him.

Besides, the BJP has not relented on the Patidar agitation for reservations. In this election, Sukhadia has made up his mind to give the Congress a chance.

GST Has Badly Affected The Sector I Work in: Marketing Professional

A marketing professional from Ahmedabad, 47-year-old Trupti Gajjar still remembers the inconvenience she had to face due to note ban. GST only worsened the situation, she indicates.

We faced so many problems due to note ban. Were we supposed to do our jobs, or stand in lines? We couldn’t take care of our kids, do household chores. And GST has badly affected the medical sector I work in.

Gajjar asserts that demonetisation has not undermined the black money economy.

She also blames both the Congress as well as the BJP for making empty promises on improving the infrastructure and sanitation of the area where she stays.

People say Gujarat is developing fast. I would like them to see the condition of our streets...

Not Seen a Day’s Work Since Diwali: 40-Year-Old Diamond Trader

Forty-year-old Lalit Thumar, a diamond trader, has not seen a day’s work since Diwali this year. He says that business is usually back in full swing five days after Diwali.

But this year, GST and demonetisation have taken a toll.

In the upcoming elections, Thumar has decided to reject the BJP’s ‘false promises’ and bring the Congress back to power in Gujarat.

Click here to listen to more such voices from Gujarat.

(Voices of Gujarat: Tired of listening to netas make promises? As Gujarat goes to polls, The Quint wants to listen to the real voices of Gujarat – the voters. Tell us what issues matter to you this election season. Send in your videos to [e-mail] or WhatsApp @ [phone])