WHAT INDIA WANTS
Hindustan Times talks to a cross section of citizens for insights into what they want from the new government
The Bharatiya Janata Party led by Narendra Modi emerged a clear winner in the general elections with 282 seats in Parliament.
While Modi managed to successfully capture the public imagination with the call against corruption and inflation and by showcasing the Gujarat model of development to a young country restless for change, the next five years will be a challenge for him. He will have to deliver on his promises, strengthen the economy and create opportunities for growth and employment.
A heterogeneous country like India with a youthful population, a large pool of people battling economic insecurity, and many ethnic and religious groups, each competing for space on the national stage and for the fruits of development too, has huge obstacles to overcome. The country hopes it can banish these problems under the leadership of Narendra Modi. The nation hopes he will lead it out of the labyrinth of its worries. Hindustan Times spoke to a range of citizens — a farmer, an educationist, an industrialist, an economist, a domestic worker, and an educated unemployed person, among others, to find out what India wants. Of course, each individual’s wishlist emphasises a different aspect but the general hope seems to be for a stable economy, an end to inflation, the conservation of our ecological wealth, equal opportunities for all, and inclusive growth.