On Vande Bharat, Haridwar AC Express: Mandir signals green, jobs hit red

From Dehradun to Delhi, Haridwar to Mumbai, Ajinkya Kawale gets inside track on voter sentiment on board the Vande Bharat and Haridwar AC Express

At the Dehradun railway station, passengers queue up for selfies with the sleek, eight-coach Vande Bharat Express, poised to cover the 300-kilometre (km) journey to Delhi in roughly five hours. However, Jitendra Meena (name changed), a railway employee from Rajasthan, remains unmoved by the excitement surrounding him.

“In this election year, we see politics revolving around caste and religious divides, while employment remains a pressing issue. I hold no expectations from any government,” he laments.

Meena, in his 30s and responsible for a family of four, highlights that most of his peers remain unemployed despite migrating from their villages in pursuit of work. Even those fortunate enough to secure employment settle for reduced wages, he adds.

Meena’s dissatisfaction extends to his job within the railway sector.

“Everything gets outsourced to contractors. I faced a 24-day suspension without pay when my supervisor discovered cleanliness issues in one of the coaches. The contractor faced no repercussions,” he recounts.

Meena’s discontent mirrors the findings of the India Employment Report, jointly released by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Institute for Human Development. Despite a decline in the country's unemployment rate from 5.8 per cent in 2019 to 4.1 per cent in 2022, the numbers remain high compared to the 2.1 per cent rate recorded in 2012. Additionally, the report underscores the prevalence of low-quality jobs with diminished earnings, exacerbating the employment crisis.

As political campaigns intensify and candidates crisscross the nation canvassing for votes, conversations among train passengers offer insights into the electorate’s prevailing concerns topmost on the minds. Even those awaiting trains at railway stations eagerly engage in discussions about the imminent general elections.

At the bustling Haridwar station, thronged by passengers from across India, 20-year-old Nishant Kumar downplays the issue of unemployment. However, he acknowledges that merely 10 per cent of students in his polytechnic course secured jobs last year. En route to Roorkee, Kumar immerses himself in self-taught stock market trading skills.

“I wish for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s return to power to sustain the upward trajectory of stock prices for big companies owned by Adani, Ambani, and the Tatas,” the Bijnor-based student asserts, opening his stock trading application.

The Haridwar station boasts impeccable cleanliness.

Kanchan Chawarria, employed as a sweeper for eight years, bemoans the stagnation in her wages over the years. “I started earning Rs 5,000 eight years ago. Today, my wages have only marginally increased to Rs 8,000, insufficient for my family of four. My husband and two sons remain unemployed,” she rues.

Chawarria laments the absence of gas cylinders under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana and the meagre ration received monthly on her ‘white’ ration card.

“How can this sustain my family amid soaring prices of essentials? Politicians only show up during elections, offering alcohol to men in exchange for votes, and then disappear for five years,” she laments.

Her colleague, Mukesh Kumar, counters Chawarria, recalling Modi’s symbolic act of washing the feet of sanitation workers, underscoring the importance of their labour.

“Despite low salaries and high inflation, we must prioritise the national interest during elections. The abrogation of Article 370, construction of the Ram Mandir, bolstering of our defence forces, and enhanced global stature are striking achievements,” Kumar asserts.

Gajanan Peruse, on a Char Dham Yatra at 50, echoes Kumar’s sentiments, lauding Modi’s fulfilment of the promise to build the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. “Modi stayed true to his promise of building the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya,” he says, showing a ‘Jai Shree Ram’ tattoo on his arm.

Onboard the Haridwar AC SF Express, which embarks on a 28-hour, 1,771-km journey to Mumbai, the conversation is as lively, though the opinions are, as ever, sharply divided.

Upon arrival at Delhi’s Hazrat Nizamuddin station, Balveer, a shop owner, comments on the timing of Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest, which he believes could evoke sympathy for Opposition parties. However, he commends the Modi and Yogi governments for their initiatives in his hometown of Aligarh, particularly the crackdown on criminal elements.

As the journey progresses through Agra and Jhansi, passengers express satisfaction over the elimination of notorious gangster-politicians like Atiq Ahmed and Mukhtar Ansari, attributing it to the peace prevailing in the region. However, doubts linger regarding the viability of the Opposition as a credible alternative to Modi.

As the train traverses Madhya Pradesh, the temperature, both on the outside and inside of the coach, rises, with fervent debates on topics ranging from electoral bonds to parivarvaad (dynastic rule).

Prem Kumar, a retired banker from Lucknow, advocates for leveraging issues like electoral bonds and threats to democracy to counter Modi’s narrative. Meanwhile, discussions on the import of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and Modi’s leadership style persist.

Outside, the landscape transitions from the lush Gangetic Basin to the arid expanse of Maharashtra, where dwindling rivers hint at the onset of summer. And as if on cue, Modi’s popularity index among passengers begins to wilt.

Vijay Rajure, a farmer from Jalgaon, voices discontent with the political landscape in Maharashtra, criticising the BJP’s role in fragmenting alliances and highlighting pressing issues like water scarcity, rising fuel prices, and goods and services tax on seeds and fertilisers. An advocate from Malegaon echoes similar sentiments, citing religious divisions and a dearth of employment opportunities.

Harish Jogi, a 20-year-old en route to Mumbai for a medical test before joining the Merchant Navy, questions the timing and symbolism behind certain political actions, emphasising the need for a more inclusive approach.

As the train nears Mumbai, a woman from Uttarakhand expresses appreciation for Modi’s frequent visits to her state. Undoubtedly, the ruling party anticipates a high voter turnout in the upcoming elections.