Take 5 | Poll Promises: ‘Poor are never heard… Officers say get this paper, get that’

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav recently said if voted to power in UP, his government will provide a kilo of ‘ghee’ to the poor along with free ration for five years. He also warned the BJP government would discontinue its free-ration scheme once the polls were over.

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Irrespective of whom I vote for, my life will remain the same: Ram Kumar, 24, Fruit seller, Pilibhit

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav recently said if voted to power in UP, his government will provide a kilo of ‘ghee’ to the poor along with free ration for five years. He also warned the BJP government would discontinue its free-ration scheme once the polls were over. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah promised free gas cylinders on festivals under a BJP government

1. Have you heard of the ghee and gas promises?

No, I haven’t. I don’t own a TV and I recently lost my smartphone. Now I use a basic phone without a proper screen.

2. Do you feel the promises will come through?

I don’t think so. The free ration comes in my mother’s name. I have been struggling to get a ration card made for my wife and me… Everything is on paper, and promises before elections are unreal. I think I had heard that Modiji would put Rs 15 lakh in our accounts. I never got it. Did anyone?

3. Do you get any government benefits?

No, but my mother got the free cylinder under Ujjwala. We get it refilled every two months. It is very expensive.

4. What is more helpful, the ration being distributed by the BJP or the SP’s promise of that plus ghee?

The ration we get home is fine. It has oil, salt and other items. But governments should tell their officers to be more helpful to the poor. We are not heard anywhere. They say get this paper and get that paper, but nothing happens… If I had a ration card, I would have also been getting rations.

5. What do you expect from the party you vote for?

I could vote for the BJP because I like Modiji and Yogiji. But I may vote for the cycle (SP) too, let’s see. Either way, my life will remain the same. I will be selling fruits here at this chauraha, irrespective of who forms the government.

Asad Rehman

Asad Rehman is with the national bureau of The Indian Express and covers politics and policy focusing on religious minorities in India. A journalist for over eight years, Rehman moved to this role after covering Uttar Pradesh for five years for The Indian Express. During his time in Uttar Pradesh, he covered politics, crime, health, and human rights among other issues. He did extensive ground reports and covered the protests against the new citizenship law during which many were killed in the state. During the Covid pandemic, he did extensive ground reporting on the migration of workers from the metropolitan cities to villages in Uttar Pradesh. He has also covered some landmark litigations, including the Babri Masjid-Ram temple case and the ongoing Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute. Prior to that, he worked on The Indian Express national desk for three years where he was a copy editor. Rehman studied at La Martiniere, Lucknow and then went on to do a bachelor's degree in History from Ramjas College, Delhi University. He also has a Masters degree from the AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia. ... Read More