In a groundbreaking moment for Kashmir, first-time voters are making their voices heard, calling for urgent action on two pressing issues: unemployment and drug abuse. As the region experiences a surge of young voters participating in the electoral process, they are vocalising their demands for meaningful reforms and effective policies. The new electorate, energised by their role in shaping the future, is emphasising the need for economic opportunities and robust measures to combat the growing drug crisis that has plagued their communities. Their call for change highlights a shift towards a more proactive and engaged voter base seeking tangible improvements in their lives and environment.
#KashmirVotes #YouthVoice #UnemploymentCrisis #DrugAbuse #FirstTimeVoters #KashmirYouth #Election2024 #PolicyChange #EconomicOpportunity #DrugPrevention #VoterDemands #KashmirPolitics #YouthEngagement #SocialReform #KashmirFuture
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#KashmirVotes #YouthVoice #UnemploymentCrisis #DrugAbuse #FirstTimeVoters #KashmirYouth #Election2024 #PolicyChange #EconomicOpportunity #DrugPrevention #VoterDemands #KashmirPolitics #YouthEngagement #SocialReform #KashmirFuture
~PR.152~ED.194~HT.334~
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NewsTranscript
00:00Voting is our fundamental right.
00:02If we vote for something, our first priority will be to generate employment.
00:07I don't think development will be enough until our youth are educated.
00:12Jobs are needed, construction is needed, roads are needed.
00:16All those qualities should be in one leader.
00:19There are too many educated kids here.
00:21If they don't get a job, they go straight to drugs.
00:23In Kashmir, we are fully dependent on government jobs.
00:26We have zero private sector.
00:28If the government wants, they should prepare a program on drug addiction
00:33so that our future is saved.
00:35We want those people to participate who are well-educated.
00:39No one has an education.
00:42Employment rate will increase.
00:44Development will happen.
00:46That's why we vote.
00:48We will vote on these issues.
00:49Employment, development, schools, hospitals and roads.
00:54That's all.
00:55Assembly elections are coming up.
00:57You are a first-time voter.
00:59On which issues will you choose a candidate and a party before voting?
01:07There are many unemployed youth in Kashmir.
01:11Videos of PhD scholars and dry fruits were viral on social media.
01:17The whole of Kashmir saw it.
01:19If we vote for something, our first priority will be to generate employment.
01:25If not the government, at least the private sector should develop enough to support the youth.
01:30So that our educated youth can settle in the private or government sectors.
01:36In Kashmir, we are fully dependent on government jobs.
01:39We have zero private sector.
01:41Even if we go to the private sector for an interview,
01:44we don't get the salary that a deserving candidate should get.
01:48We have very talented youth here.
01:52But we don't have the opportunity to utilize our talent.
01:55That's the first thing.
01:57Second, we need to develop.
02:00There are still many places that are underdeveloped.
02:03I saw a post recently, I think it was from the Gure side.
02:06They don't have electricity there yet.
02:09We need to connect these places with electricity.
02:13There should be good road connectivity.
02:15Electricity should reach them.
02:17Moreover, schools should be built there.
02:20Hospitals should be built there too.
02:22Recently, I visited Zojila.
02:24There was an accident there.
02:26They had to come to Sonamarak from there.
02:28If there was a hospital across Zojila,
02:31there would have been surgeons in the emergency department.
02:33They would have been saved.
02:35Until they cross Zojila and come to Sonamarak,
02:37there are many injuries.
02:41They can't be saved.
02:43We will vote on these issues.
02:45Employment, development, schools, hospitals and roads.
02:50That's all.
02:52Most of the youth here are on drugs.
02:54But we need to look at the root cause.
02:56Why are they on drugs?
02:58The main problem is that
03:00most of them are in depression.
03:02Due to depression, most of the youth
03:04look for a second option to get out of it.
03:08They have a second option, drugs.
03:10We need to address this first.
03:12Why are most of the youth on drugs?
03:14Why are they on drugs?
03:16We need to look at the root cause.
03:18Why are they on drugs?
03:20We need to look at the cause of the disease.
03:23Then we can treat the disease.
03:25We can't give a random dose to the disease.
03:27The main thing is that
03:29we need to look at the root cause.
03:31Why are the youth on drugs?
03:33Not only boys of Kashmir,
03:35I have seen girls of Kashmir
03:37who are addicted to drugs.
03:39The government needs to look at the root cause.
03:41Then we can address the problem.
03:43If we look at the problems of today,
03:45we need development.
03:47Unemployment is increasing.
03:49Unemployment is increasing.
03:51The unemployed youth
03:53are increasing every month.
03:55The unemployed youth
03:57are increasing every month.
03:59But if we look at the election
04:01of the unemployed youth,
04:03they are manifesting
04:05that they will bring development.
04:07I don't think that
04:09development will help
04:11until our youth are educated.
04:13Until our education system
04:15is changed,
04:17we can't do anything.
04:19I have seen their manifesto.
04:21Politicians,
04:23PDP, NC,
04:25or other independent parties
04:27have a manifesto for change.
04:29If they know about change,
04:31there will be no change in the election
04:33or development.
04:35The youth have issues.
04:37First, the unemployment rate is increasing.
04:39Second, the manifesto
04:41given after the election
04:43is not a manifesto.
04:45The manifesto
04:47given by the political leaders
04:49is not a manifesto.
04:51They give a promise
04:53that they will do this and that.
04:55They don't do anything
04:57in the manifesto.
04:59I would like to request
05:01to increase the number of drugs.
05:03I am from South Kashmir.
05:05I have seen that drugs are increasing
05:07in 2016, 2017,
05:09and 2018.
05:11In this century,
05:13there were very few drugs.
05:15Today, most of the youth
05:17who are educated
05:19are involved in drugs.
05:21If the government
05:23wants,
05:25they should make a program
05:27about drug addiction
05:29so that our future is saved.
05:31As per my views and vision,
05:33if they want,
05:35they should give employment
05:37to the people,
05:39establish private sector industries,
05:41and the rest of the things
05:43so that it decreases
05:45instead of increasing.
05:47As per my vision,
05:49I am also an educated youth.
05:51I have seen that
05:53most of the youth are involved in this.
05:55The reason is that
05:57our political leaders
05:59are not promising us
06:01that they have problems.
06:03They get involved
06:05because of this.
06:07If I vote,
06:09as per the policy
06:11in the Indian Constitution,
06:13voting is our fundamental right.
06:15We can vote
06:17as per our wish.
06:19I can vote for the PDP,
06:21NC, or any other independent.
06:23I can vote.
06:25I have never
06:27voted for them.
06:29But if we vote,
06:31we vote because
06:33employment rate will increase
06:35and development will happen.
06:37That's why we vote.
06:39If the rest of the youth
06:41who are educated
06:43are also sensible,
06:45I request them
06:47to vote for the leader
06:49who brings development
06:51and increases employment rate.
06:53The youth of today are very educated.
06:55But they are not getting jobs.
06:57That's why they are addicted
06:59to politics day by day.
07:01If the situation gets better,
07:03they will get a good leader
07:05who will fulfill
07:07all the requirements
07:09of a good parliamentary member.
07:11If he is good and has good qualities.
07:13What qualities
07:15will you choose?
07:17If you vote,
07:19what will you see?
07:21I want the youth
07:23to fulfill
07:25their qualities.
07:27They need jobs,
07:29construction, roads.
07:31All these qualities
07:33should be in one leader.
07:35Is this your first time
07:37voting for the assembly?
07:39Yes, sir.
07:41What are the issues
07:43that you will vote for?
07:45If you vote,
07:47what qualities will you see?
07:49First of all,
07:51if there is an assembly election,
07:53we should
07:55vote for people
07:57who are well-educated.
07:59No one has an education.
08:01I want
08:03people who have an education
08:05to participate in this election.
08:07The National Assembly
08:09has also formed a group.
08:11The Congress has also formed a group.
08:13I want them to
08:15vote for people
08:17who will get jobs.
08:19The youth's expectation is
08:21that if we vote for someone,
08:23we should get something out of it.
08:25In Kashmir,
08:27if we get water,
08:29we should get that.
08:31If we don't get a job,
08:33we should get a job.
08:35If we win any party,
08:37we should get something out of it.
08:39Unemployment is a big issue.
08:41In the evening,
08:43when a child gets
08:45a job,
08:47he doesn't get a job
08:49because he is uneducated.
08:51I don't know
08:53who will win.
08:55Congress, PDD, National
08:57I don't know who will win.
08:59But if any party wins,
09:01we should get something out of it.
09:03Mr. Ajay, there will be an assembly election
09:05and you are a first-time voter.
09:07If you vote,
09:09what should your candidate do?
09:11Sir,
09:13those who will end unemployment,
09:15those who will give jobs,
09:17and those
09:19who will end inflation,
09:21those who will be
09:23the best for the country,
09:25we are ready to vote for them.
09:27Sir, on the day of elections,
09:29we expect
09:31that the candidate
09:33should work
09:35for the youth.
09:39In today's world,
09:41there is a lot of
09:43employment crisis.
09:45If
09:47the employment
09:49is dry,
09:51then
09:53there were
09:55security
09:57issues
09:59in them.
10:01So, sir,
10:03we expect
10:05that the candidates
10:07we elect
10:09should do
10:11their part well.
10:13If the employment is dry,
10:15the candidates should
10:17do their part well
10:19and fulfill
10:21the vacancies
10:23in the departments.
10:25Sir, if we look at it,
10:27the candidates are
10:29prone to depression
10:31because
10:33after graduation,
10:35they don't have
10:37the means.
10:39If we look at
10:41employment,
10:43students don't have
10:45many opportunities.
10:47If a student graduates
10:49or does PG,
10:51he should get
10:53employment.
10:55But,
10:57students have to
10:59go abroad
11:01for employment.
11:03So,
11:05it has a lot of effect
11:07on society.
11:09So,
11:11we expect that the candidates
11:13we elect
11:15should represent the people.
11:17They should do their part well
11:19for the government,
11:21for the youth,
11:23for the overall society.
11:25Benefits
11:27should be
11:29exploited well
11:31for the people.
11:33So, sir, we expect this.
11:35For first-time voters,
11:37drug abuse and unemployment
11:39remain two major issues
11:41that need immediate attention.
11:43With hope and optimism
11:45in their eyes,
11:47the young voters are expecting
11:49winds of change to blow in J&K
11:51as soon as the Union Territory
11:53gets a new government after October 8.
11:55In Srinagar,
11:57Izhar Ali for One India.