E-Paper
My nation, my vote: Empowerment of the poor is important
Law is being used to harass the common citizens
Meninath Sonavane, 60, lift operator
Have you voted in previous elections?
Yes, I voted the last time and have been doing it every year with the hope that poor sections of the society will be empowered. Unfortunately, that has not happened in the last seventy years.
What issues have mattered to you in the past?
The government schemes for the poorest sections of the society do not reach them. The schemes are made in such a way that a poor person will never be able to complete the bureaucratic procedure and hence will remain poor. As a liftman, I am earning Rs 6,000 per month to look after my family. Food, housing, employment with decent wages are missing which shows deterioration of governance.
What issues matter to you today?
Backward classes are never benefited from any facility. Poor continues to remain poor and rich is becoming richer. The backward class is struggling to make a livelihood. If a poor commits a crime, then he is dealt with a strong hand while political criminals who loot the citizens are never prosecuted. Law is being used to harass the common citizens. It is through chicken biryani and other enticements that votes are bought by politicians. I am part of that too. A true Ambedkarite is missing from the government and even if a genuine person is there, other political parties don’t allow him to progress.
