Jobs, not politics, to matter more this Jharkhand poll

Tata Motors, one of the premier companies in the auto sector, according to an estimate, used to manufacture more than 10,000 trucks per month at its Jamshedpur plant. However, in August this year, the production came down to around 1,100.

As the news of an economic slowdown in the auto sector spread like wildfire, many employees (mostly on contractual employment) were fired. Once the production of trucks saw a sharp decline, the ancillary units and other subsidiaries, which provided small or major parts/equipment, too saw a major slump.

In large part of the Adityapur industrial area, which has several sister organisations of the Tata groups, shutters came down and casual workers were shown the door.

This not only led to an increase in unemployment and joblessness in the Steel City, but it also led to an increase in crime in the industrial town.

“For the sacked employees, mostly tribals and poor, it was a matter of survival. These jobless guys soon resorted to petty crimes. Robbing women, snatching gold chain became the order of the day. The organisations, which showed them the door, too had no option as due to a sharp decline in demand, there was a huge cut in supply. And when the manufacturing declined, no one could give its (idle) employees salary for months (for doing nothing). The contractual staff bore the maximum brunt,” a senior executive in Tata groups told DH.

“It’s a fact that in the last few months, 700 industrial units have been closed down in Jamshedpur and Adityapur and around 30,000 people have been rendered jobless. Organisations like Tata Hitachi too moved out of the Steel City,” said XLRI Professor Gaurav Vallabh, who is also the AICC spokesperson and is contesting Assembly poll against Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das from Jamshedpur (East).

One such jobless youth is Krishan Murmu (name changed), who lost his contractual employment in Adityapur industrial area in Jamshedpur. He now runs a kiosk where he sells chowmein and egg roll. When asked whom he would vote for, he points out towards his small cylinder: “Isi ko (This one). Cylinder chhaap (symbol).”

'Cylinder' is the election symbol of rebel BJP candidate Saryu Rai, who is contesting against Das. “Rai is honest. No one can question his integrity. BJP treated him shabbily. Moreover, there is some anger against the BJP in general and Das in particular for the job loss and increasing unemployment,” Murmu opens up after much coaxing.

As the campaign for the second phase of elections for 20 Assembly constituencies in Jharkhand, including Jamshedpur and Maoist-infested Tamar, came to an end on Thursday, it will be economy, and not politics, which will possibly weigh heavily when the electorate turns up to exercise their franchise on December 7.