CITIES BECOMING UNAFFORDABLE, HARD TO LIVE IN: VARUN GANDHI

BJP MP says that people in charge of making decisions for cities often do not understand the struggles citizens face.

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A three-time BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh Pilibhit constituency, Varun Gandhi is not just a politician, but a writer and poet as well. While his first book was on the rural areas of India and its challenges, his recently released book The Indian Metropolis” takes a look at the problems of urban India. Gandhi said that it took him three tumultuous year's” to write the book as he has taken a deep dive into the complexities of the problems of urban India and suggested solutions for them. On the event of his book release, Varun Gandhi spoke to The Sunday Guardian on his book and the experience through the journey of his writing. Edited excerpts:

Q: Congratulations on your new book, this time it is on urban areas. The last book you wrote was on rural areas. What prompted you to write this book?

A: After spending almost half-a-decade understanding and discussing the travails of rural India, the idea of writing on how Indians live in urban India was a tall order. As I interacted with thousands of Indians living in our cities and recovering from the pandemic, I understood, life in cities in India is tough for many people. It’s difficult for those earning around Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 a month to pay for a house to live, buy food and groceries, and brave the daily commute, especially during extreme weather conditions. People in charge of making decisions for cities often don’t understand the struggles its citizens face, and as a result, cities are becoming unaffordable and hard to live in. Additionally, cities are losing touch with India’s cultural heritage and moving away from sustainable practices. We need to have a national discussion about these issues as a country.