Manoj Sahu, 25, was unrecognisable in the crowd, as Narendra Modi’s roadshow in Bhubaneswar on 16 April wound its way to the city’s Baramunda ground. With a Modi mask on his face, Manoj was waving a large BJP flag at the vehicles passing by.
But on striking a conversation with the man behind the mask, here’s what we found.
“Main berozgar hoon (I am unemployed). I graduated as an electrical engineer in 2015, and have been unemployed since then. But I don’t blame Modi for the high unemployment rate.”Manoj Sahu, Bhubaneswar resident
In 2014, Narendra Modi had promised crores of new jobs for the youth if elected to power. But with a leaked report of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) stating that unemployment in 2017-18 was the highest it has been in 45 years, why does an unemployed youth like Manoj continue to support the BJP?
“I don’t support the BJP, I support Narendra Modi. What the Congress couldn’t do in 60 years, how can Modi do in five? In Odisha, there aren’t enough job opportunities, but it is not Modi’s fault. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik is responsible for my unemployment.”Manoj Sahu
And why does he like Modi so much?
“Kyunki woh khaata nahi hai, (khaane) deta bhi nahi hai (Neither does he take bribes, nor does he let others take them). Woh mere liye bhagwan hai (For me, he is god.) I don't believe in God actually, I believe in Modi.”
Roadshow Conversations
We caught up with several people who attended Narendra Modi’s roadshow and rally in Bhubaneswar. Here’s what they had to say about the prime minister, his government’s performance over the last five years and the BJP’s prospects in Odisha, where Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has been in power for the last 19 years.
‘Jobs Crisis Is the Bad Thing That Happens Before Something Good’
Shubhashree Rout, a 24-year-old resident of Bhubaneswar, joined the BJP five months ago. She works as a data entry professional in a private company.
The Quint: Why are you enthused about the BJP?
Shubhashree: Because Modi has destroyed corruption and created jobs.
The Quint: But a recent report suggests that unemployment was as high as 6.1% in 2017-18, the highest it has been in more than four decades.
Shubhashree: Arre, but surgical strike has happened na. Jobs nahi hai toh kya hua, hoga achha aage (so what if there aren’t jobs, there will be good things ahead). Before anything good happens, something bad happens. This unemployment thing is like that.
‘Scared That I Won't Get a Job After Graduation’
“I came here to see Modi,” says Bibhudatta Panda, a 22-year-old BSc student currently completing the third and final year of his degree. He is worried about his employment prospects.
“I am scared that I won’t get a job after graduation. The current situation is bleak. I will vote for the BJP and hope Modi will get us jobs. BJD hasn’t been able to generate much employment, so I hope that the BJP will do so.”Bibhudatta Panda
DJ Trucks’ Sahu Plays the BJP’s Tune, but Likes BJD More
Shiba Sahu,27, operates sound systems for a living. He is in charge of one of the “DJ trucks” at Modi’s roadshow, which is blaring a BJP election soundtrack that includes a special song titled “Modiji, welcome” and a jingle of Modi’s campaign lines.
But when asked about his own political preference, Shiba says he prefers the BJD. “I like Naveen Patnaik more.”
Adivasi Dance at Modi Roadshow
Gayatri Hembrom, 24, is part of an Adivasi dance troupe in Bhubaneswar that was called by the BJP to perform at Modi’s roadshow. “We performed a santhali dance.”
On being asked about her political inclination, Gayatri remarked, “We will vote for Naveen Patnaik. He and his government have given us everything – rice, water, electricity.”
Mili Murmu, 18, who is part of the same troupe, thinks otherwise. “I like Modi and I will vote for him. Demonetisation was a good move against black money. If he keeps working like this, he will get the black money stored abroad back into the country. After all, that money belongs to the nation.”
'Modi Speaking in Hindi at the Rally, so I Left’
At the end of the roadshow, Modi addressed a rally in Bhubaneswar’s Baramunda ground. Twenty-year-old Prabhash Kumar Sahu, who had travelled to the venue from the neighbouring district of Khordha, decided to leave early – while Modi’s speech was still far from done.
“Modi is speaking in Hindi – I couldn’t understand what he was saying so I left. I speak Odia, I couldn’t understand the prime minister’s Hindi. He should have kept a translator, it’s bad that he didn’t.”Prabhash Kumar Sahu, Khordha resident
‘Modi’s Speech Was Boring’
Jiban Lalkunde, 36, also hails from Khordha, which is around 20 kilometres from the Bhubaneswar city limits.
Jiban was among hundreds of people who left the rally while Modi was still speaking. “We were made to sit here for four hours before Modi started speaking, it was quite hot and my kid had started crying. Modi’s speech was boring too, so we got up and left.”
Who will he vote for, I asked. “Patnaik has done some good work, but Modi has done a lot of good work. He has built a lot of roads and railway stations, bohot accha kaam kiya hai.”
Before I could ask him any more questions though, he remarked, “A party bus got us here, it may leave soon so I have to rush.” He apologised to me for having to cut the conversation short and hurried off.
Empty Chairs During Modi’s Speech
With most of the crowd having departed while Modi was still speaking, the numbers at the venue had thinned to such an extent that a majority of the chairs lay vacant during the later parts of the prime minister’s speech.
I remarked about the empty chairs to one of the cops on duty, “Aisa generally hota nahi hai na, Modi ke rallies mein (this generally doesn’t happen during Modi’s rallies, right)?” He leaned in towards me and replied softly, “Odisha mein hota hai. (It happens in Odisha. Dekho, peeche toh pura khaali hai. Ek chauthai bhara hai abhi. (It’s all empty at the back. One-fourth of the venue is filled right now.)”
Prime Minister Modi finished his speech a full 15 minutes later.
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