Young voters who were perhaps only toddlers when the riots took place say jobs and development are what matter most to them.
Vadodara, Gujarat: Once a dominant political factor, the 2002 Gujarat riots have gradually ceased to be a part of the state’s electoral discourse. And nothing defines this better than how young Gujarati voters — some of whom are voting for the first time and were perhaps only toddlers when the riots took place — attach little significance to this issue.
At the Faculty of Management in Vadodara’s prestigious Maharaja Sayajirao University, there weren’t too many in the compound given the untimely rain and chilly winds caused by Cyclone Ochki.
Braving the drizzle, Rakesh Vavecha was enjoying hot samosas outside a small canteen on the campus. Born only in 1997, he has hazy memories of the riots. “I will vote this time. We don’t even think of the riots, or remember much. They are nowhere in the picture, election or no election,” he said.
“And why should they be? I want the BJP to win because of its development work. It will help us with economic growth. These are my reasons for voting,” added Vavecha. He will return to his hometown in Junagadh district to vote.
Vishvas Maradiya, 23, came to meet his cousin who runs this canteen in the MS University. Maradiya says he doesn’t even know there were riots in 2002.
“I didn’t really know about the riots till you just asked me. So they don’t matter to me during election time at all. I want to vote for the BJP because I feel they will help develop infrastructure,” he said.
Jignesh Kokni, 20, says he backs the Congress but will miss voting this time since he can’t go to his hometown Surat with examinations on. “I have heard of the riots once or twice but they have no role during elections. I haven’t even heard Congress raise it in its campaigns. I think Congress should come to power; it can do something new.”
At the Faculty of Commerce & Science a few kilometres away, first-time voters seemed divided between the Congress and the BJP. Dhawal Parmar (19) is evidently excited, as is his friend Ajay Mehta. Parmar backs Congress while Mehta backs BJP. “Development and jobs” are what matter them most.
Siddharth Pai and his friends study at the Faculty of Science on the same campus and all back BJP. “Modi is a man with a plan; that is why I back him. The riots are not, and should not, be an issue at all. We have to look ahead, not look back,” Pai said.
At the Faculty of Technology, which is said to be more political in its outlook, the students look visibly surprised at the question of the communal riots. “We do see the issue of communalism raised on social media sometimes, but this is not an issue for us at all. Vikas (development) is,” said Sandeep Kshatriya, who wants to vote for the BJP. His friend Bhauvik Patel, a supporter of the Patidar agitation, backs Congress.
In contrast, young Muslim voters still carry some angst and have a far greater space for the memories of the riots in their political consciousness.
“This is not the only issue, but it is an issue. A lot of people suffered during the riots. I have heard about it in my family discussions and read in magazines, etc,” said Zahabia Kachwala (20), a B.Com student, who backs Congress.
Mohsin Sheikh, a student at the Faculty of Technology, tends to agree. “Only the community that suffered remembers it. Those who were affected will definitely think about it before elections. Political parties have stopped raising it because it does not serve their purpose anymore,” he said.