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An India Today ground report from West Bengal highlights the key issues dominating the upcoming state elections.
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00:24West Bengal is in the middle of a high-stakes electoral battle
00:28where every vote could redraw the state's future.
00:32I am in Kolkata at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
00:37Remember, this is the place which was the epicenter of protests.
01:06The outrage may have faded, but the questions that women of Kolkata and Bengal are asking
01:12are relevant today.
01:14They are seeking safety and accountability from a woman chief minister.
01:20Over the next 25 minutes, I will get you voices from Kolkata.
01:24What are the issues that the women of Bengal will be voting on?
01:47I am at 6th Bali Gunj place, it's here that Bengal's culinary comes alive with timeless flavor
01:55and old world charm.
02:01It is here that Kolkata's soul is served on a platter.
02:21Hi Panna, hi Sneha, hello Shimoy and hello everyone, thank you so much for coming
02:28and thank you for organizing this.
02:31You know, we have been often speaking about women's safety in the context of certain regions
02:37in Bengal.
02:38But perhaps RG Kar was one moment when women irrespective of class or region or caste came
02:48together and that changed how Bengal views women's safety.
02:52Has anything changed after the RG Kar incident?
02:579th of August 2024, it was that long back, Kolkata woke up to this heinous crime that happened
03:06in RG Kar.
03:07With all the numerous talks and the shows and everything happening on the social media, on
03:12the television, justice was not delivered.
03:15So, do we take it like justice is elusive?
03:20Is it incompetent?
03:21I am not sure.
03:22What changed in Bengal after that incident, particularly for women like?
03:27I think what really happened was it was a reality check.
03:31I think the system needed from a governance aspect that things are seriously going wrong
03:36and as we sort of move into the elections, it's also a good time to think about this, reflect
03:43and ask for accountability, right?
03:45Politicians often talk about women's safety.
03:49They make lot of promises, but what does it mean for a working woman living in Kolkata today?
03:55Having worked in media and now as a consultant and because I travel a lot, I can say women are
04:02not safe anywhere.
04:03The law and order situation is definitely deteriorating.
04:07It's not that I feel threatened.
04:09Kolkata is very, very safe that way, but there is something.
04:12Crimes against women.
04:14For that, does Mamata Banerjee actually is capable, Chief Minister, to fix accountability?
04:20Has she fixed accountability?
04:21We have had deadly instances of political murder, rape, but where is the accountability?
04:29Our Honourable Chief Minister, instead of showing her allegiance to women, being a woman
04:35Chief Minister, the only one serving right now, she is telling women that don't be out late at night.
04:41There is a slut-shaming of the victim, that why did she go out?
04:45So, you know, sitting in 21st century, I think what is happening, Maria, is that youth connect is going.
04:52On the law and order front, what do you think is Mamata Banerjee's achievement of failure, Aparna?
04:59Regarding law and order, I would say that the state has definitely failed to have the processes, accountability and the
05:06audit of any institution.
05:09The verticals within the system are corrupt.
05:12Post all we go to work, be it on a beach, be it in a college, be it in a
05:16hospital, and we come back dead.
05:18And then we are cremated as fast as possible. And then all the forensics are wiped out.
05:22So, the law and order in itself is so baffling.
05:25Sneha, talk about the women Chief Minister, you know, Mamata Banerjee as a women Chief Minister will always have the
05:31support of women, is the larger sense.
05:34Has that changed post the RG car?
05:37She was always seen as a protector of women, and this will be like the black stamp on her career
05:43forever.
05:44You know, one view which was there last time around, in 2021 in particular, when the elections happened, that the
05:51BJP was seen as a party of outsiders.
05:54Is that the sentiment even today?
05:56That is like a thing to make us very protective and seclude us from the global narrative per se.
06:04Now, if we are seeing how the geopolitical tectonic shifts are happening all around the world, we are seeing a
06:10multipolar world, so we better come out of this shell.
06:13Like you said, Maria, that, you know, this whole pitch of outsiders, you know, that TMC is pitching, I personally
06:22find it a little ridiculous.
06:23Yes, I feel women's safety is directly related or directly proportional to good governance.
06:31If the governance is good, if the law and order is maintained, then obviously women will feel more confident, more
06:37safe and more secure.
06:38Honestly, I have really not noticed too much being done for women and their safety protocols. Nothing has worked. So
06:46I also personally, in my opinion, I think it's time for change or at least to give change a chance.
06:53So if you have to vote the best government here, I would say it's like coming back to the topic,
07:00it's not only about women's safety, it's about safety everywhere.
07:03Bengal has always been about women and Mamata Banerji. And I feel I'm Bengal. So wherever I go out of
07:12Calcutta, I come back and say there's nothing like Calcutta.
07:15What I am voting for is no corruption and this syndicate Raj.
07:21Okay, and syndicate Raj is her vote. What about you? You get the last word here.
07:28BJP will come and go. They're migratory birds. Modiji came five years back. Where was he in the middle? He's
07:34again come back. If he wins, maybe he will get something.
07:39But that's where you realize certain things. And if I speak to them about Raj. They said, yes, what has
07:45happened is wrong. But where is it not happening in other states?
07:48We are just pinning our hopes. But eventually the ground realities unfortunately remain the same. I hope this is a
07:57wake up call for the government.
07:59Okay, so there's a wake up call message that is coming. Absolutely. And if not now, then God help Bengal.
08:04Okay, so on that note, please enjoy your food. What is this called? This Gondhuraj chicken. Okay, what's that? Gondhuraj
08:14is a very Bengal lemon.
08:16It's a kafir leaf, what you see in Thai food. Yeah, but this is Bengal. Please enjoy your food there.
08:22And there is of course the bhetki fish, right? My plate is empty, so I've enjoyed it. We have enjoyed
08:26it. Thank you.
08:27And I'm making it for change. Okay.
08:48My plate.
09:39Statue of Dr. Trigunasen, who was the Vice-Chancellor of Jadapur University.
09:56At Jadapur University, the campus is less academic and more political, where young minds,
10:04young voices shape Bengal's ideological battle.
10:08Remember, this is a state where those who are under the age of 35 constitute close to
10:1535 to 40 percent of the electorate.
10:18So, what are the issues of young students and young minds?
10:22Let me speak to this group.
10:23What are the issues that will decide you about?
10:25See, in Bengal, for the first 15 years, we have seen the failed governance of Tridamul
10:34Congress.
10:35In the last 15 years, 6,688 companies have left the state and most of the companies have migrated
10:45to the BJP rule states like Maharashtra, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
10:50A state where the economic infrastructure is in a total breakdown.
10:54Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra are trying to chase the $1 trillion economy mark.
10:59Whereas in Bengal, which used to be the powerhouse of India, which used to be the global hub of
11:05business, the debt is 6.9 lakh crores.
11:08So, where do we stand here?
11:11With that kind of number, do you think Mamata Banerjee, when she makes any promise for the
11:17youth of Bengal, you will trust her?
11:18Kolkata's GDP is the third highest GDP among India after Mumbai and Delhi NCR surpassing
11:25Bangalore.
11:26So, he keeps deeds into the mind whenever he's saying any data.
11:30And Tridamul Congresses ruled 15 years.
11:33And before 15 years, 34 is the left governance.
11:35And left has took a huge number of loans, overdrafting from government and taking loans and blackmailing
11:42the government, whoever in the central, and as they control the powers.
11:45Before 2011, there was no scholarship system in West Bengal.
11:49Mamata Banerjee is the first Chief Minister who come and start the Swami Vivekananda Merit
11:54Kambin scholarship.
11:55Talking about the number of corrections, what is the position of Bihar Uttar Pradesh and
11:59what is the position of Bengal?
12:00The scholarship thing is correct.
12:02Okay.
12:03But, if you look at the past few years in Jadavpur University, there is a massive
12:08correction scandal that is going on about this scholarship thing, where students are using
12:12edited grade cards to get scholarships.
12:15And Bikash Mabon has no clue about universities after BJP government came to power.
12:20There are a lot of IITs and IIMs and also AIMs, the Medical Institute, they have been formed.
12:27In West Bengal, the East-West Metro, the Metro line, it's delayed due to bureaucracy.
12:32It's delayed due to this red tape procedure, which has been blocked by the state government.
12:36So, when you look at the promises that have been made by various political parties, BJP
12:39has also come up with lots of promises for the youth.
12:43Unemployed youth and also the promise of an industrial park.
12:46The first thing is that the privation is growing a lot.
12:50The freedom of speech here is the freedom of speech.
12:53And then we think about independence.
12:55Where is it?
12:58Central University.
12:59Not for like a ship.
13:00The IITs and IIMs also.
13:01If there is a place for students or a hostel, if there is a place for basic problems,
13:06then there is a place for threatening.
13:08It's a place for any kind of basic things.
13:10Who threatens you?
13:11The administration.
13:12The freedom of speech.
13:13And there is a placement and training cell in Jadapur University.
13:17We don't get any training for placement.
13:20No training for placement are being provided by the placement cell and training cell.
13:26So, BJP or RSS.
13:29What state you will vote?
13:30I think that the importance of people and unemployment should focus on being in India.
13:41What should we avoid?
13:43Why are we talking about poverty?
13:45Why are we talking about poverty?
13:48How do we avoid?
13:51How do we avoid?
13:52How do we avoid?
13:53How do we avoid?
14:08When you say about job security, the BJP is making promises that it will bring industrial
14:18parks to Bengal, do you think that BJP should be given a chance?
14:48When you say about financial assistance, the BJP should be given a chance, so if this
14:56is very bad, then why are you giving it to your rules?
14:59On what issue will you cast your vote?
15:02Women's safety where West Bengal is lying low, jobs, again there is no job security,
15:08you get a government job today, 10 years from now on you can lose your job because some
15:13minister did a corruption and EDC is 50 crores from his bungalow.
15:18And then there is education, I quoted data, 33.8% of schools, government schools, they
15:25don't have a functional toilet for girls.
15:286482 schools are operating on a single teacher basis, so how will I vote for the Trinamul
15:32Congress?
15:32If all the youth are migrating to BJP rule states like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi
15:38for jobs, so why don't we bring BJP to the state?
15:41Wishing all the best to all of you, thank you so much for speaking to us.
16:04One of the youngest candidates in this election is Shreya Pandey.
16:10She is representing her father, her family in this constituency, fighting for the first
16:16time.
16:17One issue that is resonating with women here is also the RG car issue.
16:22The issue of safety and security for women.
16:24No, there is no incident in Manitkala ever.
16:27In the history of 50 years of us, I am talking about Kolkata.
16:31Listen, we are very safe.
16:33Every, we are really sad about all the incidents which take place.
16:38It's really, really unfortunate.
16:40But that's, just a second.
16:44It is definitely an issue and we are really apologetic.
16:49You cannot blame the government for, you know, for these kind of instances which keep on
16:56happening.
16:57No one, no sane human being ever, ever wants this kind of incident to happen anywhere in
17:04the world.
17:04BJP has also fielded the victim's mother from one of the constituencies.
17:10So, the message is of accountability that the woman chief minister has failed the women
17:15of Bengal.
17:16No, it's not true.
17:17I have entire empathy and sympathy and the general congress including the chief minister
17:22stands with that woman who is the victim's mother.
17:26But let's not talk about, let's not say the victim's mother, victim's mother.
17:30Let's also place that she is also a candidate.
17:33Okay, so on one hand it's 1500 rupees that women of Bengal are benefiting in terms of
17:39the schemes and then there is a promise of 3000 rupees from the BJP.
17:44BJP has never kept its promise.
17:46They are saying that we will give you jobs and suddenly there are so many jobs available
17:52that only after they win Bengal they will give this job.
17:56And the prime minister is supposed to give it in any which ways.
17:59If there is any empty, if there is any empty seat and job is available.
18:04Isn't the prime minister supposed to give it throughout the year without any agenda?
18:08Is it BJP's prime minister or he is your and my prime minister too?
18:13So, suddenly to win an election in Bengal, he is saying so many, you know, so many seats
18:20are empty and people are ready.
18:23You are seeing these buildings on the right.
18:25These used to be a chawl.
18:27This was one of the first buildings to be built in Calcutta free of cost for the Basti people.
18:34So, we were the first to give it to people.
18:36All these people who are walking behind us, ahead of us.
18:40We have kept each and every promise.
18:43You are campaigning with your daughter.
18:45In 32 days, this is the first campaigning she is attending.
18:49Because I am getting to see her only 10 minutes a day.
18:53When I was her age, I was campaigning with my dad.
18:56I wanted to do business and I came into politics because my father felt sick and had to step into
19:02issues.
19:02From interior designing to a politician now, a candidate, what are you predicting your own result?
19:114th May.
19:134th May.
19:134th May.
19:134th May.
19:14It is going to be one of its kind.
19:16I am going to make, because people are choosing between TMC and ex-TMC.
19:20So, anybody with a BJP mentality doesn't want ex-TMC.
19:24They have a problem with TMC.
19:26Ex or present.
19:28You are seeing this as not a contest at all.
19:30This is my home.
19:32I am right.
19:32This year.
19:33You have some complaints, sir.
19:38You are pregnant.
19:42You have pregnant.
19:46It is my husband.
19:53What the fuck went on?
20:05Ratna Debnath is the BJP candidate from Panihati.
20:10She is the mother of the RG car victim.
20:14The TMC says that she has used her daughter's tragedy as an electoral tool.
20:22Shekhar Ji is the father of the RG car victim.
20:26Of course, he is supporting his wife in these campaigns which are happening from door to door.
20:33Shekhar Ji, you are in a campaign with your husband.
20:36She is a candidate of Bhajpa.
20:39Why did you make the decision on the RG car?
21:09Why did you make the decision on the RG car?
21:38Why did you make the decision on the RG car?
21:44foreign
21:48foreign
22:17foreign
22:21foreign
22:22foreign
22:23foreign
22:23foreign
22:30foreign
22:54foreign
23:23What do you think that a government minister did not work for the government in Bengals?
23:29No.
23:30I don't think that the government is going to go to the government.
23:36How do you see the scheme from the government of Banerjee?
23:45foreign
23:46foreign
23:46foreign
23:46I am going to take a look at this.
23:55What is your biggest concern?
23:57We have to take a look at this.
24:01We have to take a look at this.
24:04Do you think your wife is right on all these issues?
24:09All these issues are going to race.
24:10Do you think your wife is right on all these issues?
24:15Do you think your wife is right on all these issues?
24:25The women of Bengal have firmly stood with Mamata Banerjee, a woman chief minister, for 15 years.
24:31The BJP, this time around, has announced 3,000 rupees for every woman of Bengal.
24:36But will the women move away from Mamata Banerjee?
24:41That's the big question that will decide which way Bengal will go on 4th of May.
24:47That's all from me on this edition of the news track.
24:51I'll be seeing you tomorrow.
24:52Thanks so much for watching.
25:09I'll see you tomorrow.
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