Core issues amiss during campaigns

Charanjit Singh Teja

Amritsar, January 15

Though the poll campaign has been picking up pace after the announcement of Assembly elections, core issues related to public health, education, drug menace, unemployment and development are missing.

Development issues are not being discussed during the election campaign. The publicity material and literature of political parties mention only freebies being offered by the parties concerned. Local issues are not being highlighted even in their meetings. — Sarabjit Singh, A social activist

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Poor health and education are nowhere mentioned during poll campaigns. No political party wants to talk about these issues. Instead of providing employment to youth, SAD promised to provide loans to study abroad and Congress leaders are promising free IELTS coaching. — Sandip Singh, An academician

Though public meetings are not being organised in the wake of Covid-19 restrictions, activists are visiting door to door to campaign.

The tussle between Congress chief Navjot Sidhu and SAD leader Bikram Majithia over an FIR in the drug case is the centre of public discussion. The debate over CM face of political parties is also an issue this time. The aspirants, whose party tickets were announced, have similar types of offers or freebies for different sections of society.

Kuwar Vijay Partap Singh, candidate of North constituency of AAP, displayed posters to fight against drugs. Otherwise one of the major issues of the 2017 Assembly elections, it is now a ‘non-issue’ for political parties.

City dwellers have been facing huge inconvenience due to traffic congestion, non-carpeted roads. Public health and education system, too, are in poor condition. Politicians are not talking about these issues at all.

“Development issues are not being discussed during the election campaign. The publicity material and literature of political parties mention only freebies being offered by the parties concerned. Local issues are not being highlighted even in their meetings,” Sarabjit Singh, a social activist, said.

“Poor health and education are nowhere mentioned during poll campaigns. No political party wants to talk about these issues. Instead of providing employment to youth here, SAD promised to provide loans to study abroad and Congress leaders are promising free IELTS coaching. Drug addiction is still a major problem in the city as well as rural areas, but this time it is not a poll issue,” said Sandip Singh, an academician.