Vote for the party that can resolve social issues: Activists urge citizens

Hameed Ashraf | NT

Bengaluru: Forum for Democracy and Communal Amity (FDCA), state chapter, released its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls 2024 in Bengaluru on Saturday.

MG Devasahayam, retired IAS and activists from various fronts such as professor Trilochan Sastry, Arvind Narrain, Shivasundar, Brinda Adige and Dr Mohammed Taha Mateen during their speech pointed out two main factors that shape voting decisions of the people- social issues and public sentiment towards the government.

The speakers asserted that in the world's largest democratic country, around 900 million voters will be casting their vote to decide the fate of political parties this year in the upcoming polls.

The participants further pointed out two main factors that shape voting decisions of people- social issues and public sentiment towards the government.

A broad spectrum of the social issues from shelter to sanitation, education to health, personal rights to inclusion must be considered, they said.

The speakers discussed that for some people living below the poverty line or on bare minimum income, social wellbeing would mean better shelter facilities, free healthcare, improved nutritional facilities, etc.

For rich people, this would mean new opportunities to grow and improve their life. The sentiment towards the current government can be captured through the performance of a party in state elections and the narrative that is spread about a political leader or the party.

"Justice can prevail in the society only if people cast their votes to the party that promises to solve these issues," the speakers specified.

A recent survey, conducted with more than 24,000 urban respondents about the issues they consider to be the most crucial in the country, showed that more than half of them considered Unemployment to be the most pressing need of the hour.

In his presidential speech, Mohammed Saleem Engineer, National General Secretary, FDCA, said that the conference was to create awareness to the public and the public concerns about the lack of transparency to the notice of the authorities.

The FDCA manifesto called upon all political parties to swear off spreading communal hatred and focus on real issues for the upliftment of the country.