What is Going to Matter in 2019?

What Is Going To Matter In 2019? Abhishek Yadav The general elections in India are just a few months away which would witness the largest democratic exercise in the world. All political parties have begun prioritising their strategies, which would be showcased through their respective political manifestos. The defeat of BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh assembly elections have created ripples across the country, and it seems that there would be a tough battle amongst the parties in the upcoming elections. Although, there are several issues which would be of vital significance, some of them deserve more attention due to their key role in the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. Farmers’ Distress The year 2018 witnessed many mass-level protests by farmers across India highlighting the deepening agrarian crisis. Indian agriculture is facing issues of high price volatility, climate-induced risks, and indebtedness which is leading to farmer suicides. Approximately 300,000 farmers have committed suicide since 1995. (AP Photo/Deepak Sharma) According to a report by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) report, 76% youth involved in the farming sector is not interested in farming. Loan waivers are being given to farmers by various state governments is a temporary measure and cannot solve the fundamental issues. Farmers have realised their electoral strength and would play a significant role in the 2019 election. It is interesting to see that at least 8 states have announced the farm loan waivers, and the Indian National Congress has promised a nationwide loan waiver to farmers if it gets voted to power this year. All parties would try to woo farmers with their attractive proposals, promising to resolve their plight for garnering their votes. Climate Change And Its Impact The manifestos of 3 prominent political parties BJP, INC, and AAP, did mention something about environmental issues and related matters of governance, but did not make it a central political plank for the previous 2014 elections. However, the size of the Indian middle class is increasing, and its attitude towards the environment has changed drastically from apathy or denial, to sympathy which might compel some political parties to become Green Parties. If we just take the example of worsening air pollution in the country, 11 out of 12 most polluted cities on the WHO List had been found in India. According to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) report, 6,20,000 premature deaths occur in India due to air pollution. As per the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), close to half the cities of India are facing severe air pollution levels due to particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen oxides and air toxics, which would create a massive public health challenge for the country. As per the study of the Lancet Planetary Health Journal, one in every eight deaths in India has been due to air pollution which shows the true danger for the people of India. Therefore, green politics needs to be given space in the mainstream discourse so that political parties can take decisive actions against the adverse effect of climate change, and work towards sustainable development. Ram Mandir The issue of construction of Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, has garnered unprecedented attention. The entire matter is with the Supreme Court now, but organisations like Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Shiv Sena, and Vishwa Hindu Parishad are demanding an ordinance through which Ram temple can be constructed, citing it as a matter of immense faith for Hindus. It needs to be noted that BJP poll manifesto of 2014 mentioned that it will “explore all possibilities within the framework of the constitution to facilitate the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya”. The official position of mainstream parties on the issue of Ram Temple is going to decide the mandate of thousands of voters. Gender Equality And Women’s Safety India’s #MeToo movement in 2018, created widespread ripples in the country as many women spoke up courageously about sexual harassments faced by them. The resignation of M.J. Akbar is being seen as one of the biggest outcome from this movement. The issue of gender equality would play an important role, especially for the urban voters. However, it needs to be noted that the #MeToo campaign has been restricted to the urban, educated and internet-using population, which doesn’t make up the bulk of Indian voters. Moreover, issues like Triple Talaq and Sabarimala Temple also took centre stage last year in the Indian politics, and will continue to garner attention of voters and political parties. All these issues have set the discourse of gender equality, which is going to be one of the crucial factors to be seen in the campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Indian Foreign Policy Although Indian foreign policy had not been under the mainstream discourse for the vast domestic constituency of India, the information revolution has narrowed down the gap between the policymakers and the citizens. The relations, mainly with China, Pakistan and the United States, are going to play an important role for the Indian electorate. The overall relations with the United States have improved with the signing of the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) and the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act (ARIA) in 2018, which sets India in a strong position in the world. However, the strained relation with China (Doklam, CPEC etc.) and Pakistan has remained one of the most difficult challenges for the present Indian government. The assessment of Modi’s foreign policy and its impact on India’s international image would be analysed by the Indian voters and might emerge as one of the key factors to decide the fate of BJP in the upcoming elections. The fate of India’s development is in the voters’ hands. There is a vital need of widespread participation from all the sections of the society in the voting so that we can claim our rights and bring constructive policy changes in the society to see the India of our dreams.