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The Rediff Special/
Enika Basu in Kolkata
What Young Bengal thinks of the elections
April 26, 2006
As Kolkata goes to poll in the third of the five-phase assembly election on April 27, we bring you views of students from three of the city's flagship institutions of learning: Presidency College, hotbed of radical students' politics since its inception in 1817; the 150-year-old Jesuit college St Xavier's, where party politics of any kind is banned; and the relatively nascent Jadavpur University, a University Grants Commission certified centre of academic excellence and the site of sustained students' agitation for the better part of last year. Presidency College Pujya Ghosh
20, 2nd year student, first-time voter Do you think politics has lost touch with young people? Being in Presidency College I don't feel like the youth has lost touch with politics. However, I have noticed that my friends from other colleges are not as interested in politics. Maybe this is because of their socialisation that they do not think it important to be politically active. What do you think are the important issues in this election? There are so many important issues, but as we know these issues lose their significance once the elections are over. It is only before the elections that such hype is created. Who would make a better chief minister, Buddhadev Bhattacharya or Mamata Banerjee? Buddhadev Bhattacharya Do you like the Election Commission's changes to campaign rules? Instead of stopping graffiti, the EC should have done something about holding meetings in the middle of busy streets that is so inconvenient for the public. Using public buses and vehicles for elections should also be stopped. What do you want to do after college? Do you think there's enough scope for it in West Bengal? I would like do my masters after graduation. I think opportunities are better elsewhere. What kind of changes would you like to see in Kolkata? Something needs to be done about the regular rallies and strikes. There is also the need for an able Opposition. Madhubanti Banerjee
21, 3rd year, first-time voter Do you think politics has lost touch with young people? No way! In colleges like Presidency, young people are very conscious about their role in the political system and how they can participate and influence the system. What do you think are the important issues in this election? Education and unemployment should be top-most on the priority list. Who would make a better chief minister, Buddhadev Bhattacharya or Mamata Banerjee? Buddhadev Bhattacharya. Do you like the Election Commission's changes to campaign rules? Yes. Because it has led to the use of more innovative and entertaining ways of campaigning such as magic shows, special campaign saris, etc. What do you want to do after college? Do you think there's enough scope for it in West Bengal? I would like to work in the finance sector. Even though opportunities are gradually cropping up here, compared to other states West Bengal still has a long way to go. What kind of changes would you like to see in Kolkata? I would like to see less pollution, better traffic management and of course better law and order enforcement. Shaurjya Bhawmik 20, 2nd year, first-time voter Do you think politics has lost touch with young people? To some extent. Youngsters today are aloof from politics as they are too involved with their own individual lives and do not give thought to the bigger picture. What do you think are the important issues in this election? Issues of education and health need to be urgently addressed. Who would make a better chief minister, Buddhadev Bhattacharya or Mamata Banerjee? Buddhadev Bhattacharya Do you like the Election Commission's changes to campaign rules? Yes. It has resulted in the use of more innovative ways of campaigning. What do you want to do after college? Do you think there's enough scope for it in West Bengal? I would like to do my masters from JNU [Jawaharlal University, Delhi]. What kind of changes would you like to see in Kolkata? The changes that are happening in Kolkata -- such as shopping malls and multiplexes -- are only meant for the benefit of a certain section of society. Changes should be brought about in areas that affect all. The problem of pollution, open drains, incomplete flyovers, should be dealt with. Jadavpur University Chitralekha Mukherjee 21, 3rd year, first-time voter Do you think politics has lost touch with young people? It certainly has. Politics is a nothing more than struggle for power and those youngsters who actively engage in politics only do so for some ulterior motive. What do you think are the important issues in this election? The issue of unemployment is the most important. The number of educated, urban, unemployed youth is ever increasing in West Bengal. Who would make a better chief minister, Buddhadev Bhattacharya or Mamata Banerjee? Buddhadev Bhattacharya Do you like the Election Commission's changes to campaign rules? The changes have been for the good of the city -- private property is not being spoiled in party colours. What do want to do after college? Do you think there's enough scope for it in West Bengal? I would like to do a course in human resources. I don't think there is much of scope in West Bengal. I will have to look to other states. What kind of changes would you like to see in Kolkata? There should be more flyovers to tackle the problem of traffic jams but it should not take forever to construct them. The drainage system must be improved. The infrastructure in government colleges should be improved. Kamalkoli Bhattacharya 22, 1st year MA, second-time voter Do you think politics has lost touch with young people? No, the young people have not lost touch with politics. There has been so much of students' agitation on our campus challenging the system. It would not have been possible if the students were completely unaware of their place in the political system. What do you think are the important issues in this election? Employment, higher education and water supply. Who would make a better chief minister, Buddhadev Bhattacharya or Mamata Banerjee? Buddhadev Bhattacharya Do you like the changes Election Commission's changes to campaign rules? It doesn't make a difference by stopping graffiti. The objective is to send a message across and that is more important than the medium used. What do you want to do after college? Do you think there is enough scope for it in West Bengal? I would like to pursue a PhD and I think with regards to higher education there is much scope in West Bengal. What kind of changes would you like to see in Kolkata? Better roads and better traffic management. There should be more employment opportunities, but not only in the BPO sector. Shalini Sengupta 23, 2nd year MA, second-time voter Do you think politics has lost touch with young people? Among our peer group, only those who are studying political science, international relations or history seem to be interested in politics. The rest do not consider it important to be politically aware. What do you think are the important issues in this election? The issues that need to be addressed are better roads, transport facilities, job opportunities and electricity supply. Who would make a better chief minister, Buddhadev Bhattacharya or Mamata Banerjee? Buddhadev Bhattacharya. Do you like the Election Commission's changes to campaign rules? Yes, I support the changes, which have meant less noise pollution and wall scribbling. It is good for the city. The television has begun to play the role of an important medium for campaigning. What do you want to do after college? Do you think there's enough scope for it in West Bengal? I would like to work after my masters, but I do not see much scope in Kolkata. Maybe 10 years hence, things would improve and there would be more job opportunities in West Bengal. What kind of changes would you like to see in Kolkata? I think there needs to be more macro-level changes than grass-root or micro changes. St Xavier's College Barnik Bardhan 19, 1st year, first-time voter Do you think politics has lost touch with young people? Personally, I am not too politically aware myself, nor are my friends here. But students of Presidency and Jadavpur still seem to be very politically active. What do you think are the important issues in this election? The development of the IT sector is an important issue. Also politicians should turn their attention to the development of rural Bengal. Who would make a better chief minister, Buddhadev Bhattacharya or Mamata Banerjee? Buddhadev Bhattacharya. Do you like the Election Commission's changes to campaign rules? The changes have benefited the city. Usually the graffiti and the posters would only be for the slum-dwellers, it did not attract people of the upper classes. Therefore, it wasn't meant for all. Moreover, it would really make the city look dirty. What do you want to do after college? Do you think there's enough scope for it in West Bengal? I am looking to join the advertisement industry but I do not think there is much scope in West Bengal. I will definitely want to go out of Kolkata. What kind of changes would you like to see in Kolkata? People in Kolkata need to be more conscious about what is happening around them. People need to improve their work culture as well. Tanushree Deb 21, 3rd year, second-time voter Do you think politics has lost touch with young people? Politics is increasingly becoming a dirty game of power and the youth today are not identifying with this kind of politics. That maybe the reason for politics losing touch with the youth. What do you think are the important issues in this election? Employment generation is the most important issue. There are so many of us graduating every year from good colleges in Kolkata, but we are forced to move out of the state due to lack of employment opportunities. Who would make a better chief minister, Buddhadev Bhattacharya or Mamata Banerjee? Buddhadev Bhattacharya. Do you like the Election Commission's changes to campaign rules? I definitely support the changes. It has not only led to the use of more innovative ways of campaigning, but has also assured that the city walls will remain clean. What do you want to do after college? Do you think there's enough scope for it in West Bengal? I will be taking the CAT this year. Apart from that I will be looking towards HR management. I don't think there is much scope for these in West Bengal. What kind of changes would you like to see in Kolkata? Cleaner roads, better traffic control and also less pollution.
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