Ram Mandir vs Jobs: What’s The Cabbie’s Choice?

Ram Mandir Vs Jobs: Cabbies tell us what do they want in Lok Sabha Elections 2019

Rj Stutee in conversation with cabbies.

(Photo: Aroop Mishra/The Quint)

Camera: Shiv Kumar Maurya, Zijah Sherwani

Video Editor: Deepthi Ramdas

The construction of Ram Mandir was part of the BJP’s 2014 manifesto. As we head towards another Lok Sabha elections in 2019, the Ram Mandir is left being what it has been for decades – an election issue to garner popular support.

Another promise made by the Narendra Modi government was 2 crore jobs, but the NSSO has reported unemployment at a 45-year high in 2017-2018.

Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy data says unemployment rate climbed to 7.2 percent in February 2019 from 5.9 percent in February 2018.

While some are now asking when Ram Mandir will be built, others want to know when will they get jobs. So it’s ‘Naukri Vs Mandir’ yet again.

In this latest episode of Cab Mein Charcha, RJ stutee got in conversation with our dear cabbie bhaiyas and asked them one simple question - what is more important, Ram Mandir or jobs? A simple question with not-so-simple or easy answers.

Most cabbies said they definitely want the mandir to be constructed in Ayodhya, but when we asked them to choose between Ram Mandir and jobs, most of them chose jobs. According to them, employment is the need of the hour and, naturally, crucial for survival. While religion and devotion can lead to spiritual fulfillment, eventually, it’s money that counts.

So the cabbies have given their verdict: while the temple issue is important, for them, joblessness and unemployment will be the core election issue.