BJP’s Burden: Kharge Spotlights Unemployment

Amidst the political fervor in New Delhi, Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge articulated a poignant concern on Sunday, highlighting unemployment as the paramount issue in the impending Lok Sabha elections, attributing it to the policies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). With eloquence, he lamented Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurance of creating 2 crore jobs, asserting that it resonates as a nightmarish vision haunting the aspirations of our youth.

In an extensive exposition on his social media platform X, the Congress chief proclaimed, “At the heart of these Lok Sabha elections lies the specter of Unemployment, a malady inflicted by the BJP. Our vibrant youth grapple with the daunting challenge of securing employment, signaling an impending demographic crisis. Consider the plight of our premier educational institutions – IITs and IIMs. Across 12 IITs, nearly 30% of our students face uncertainty in placements. Similarly, only a meager 20% of the 21 IIMs managed to conclude their summer placements. This dismal scenario in our educational bastions paints a grim picture of how BJP’s policies have jeopardized the future of our youth nationwide,” Kharge expressed.

“The surge in youth unemployment under the Modi Government has been staggering, tripling since 2014. The recent India Employment Report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) lays bare a stark reality – despite an annual addition of 70-80 lakh youths to the labor force, between 2012 and 2019, there was virtually negligible growth in employment, a mere 0.01%!” he added.

“‘Modi Ki Guarantee’ of generating 2 crore jobs echoes as a haunting nightmare in the hearts and minds of our youth!” exclaimed the Congress leader. “We pledge to confer a legal entitlement upon every diploma or degree holder below the age of 25, ensuring a minimum annual income of Rs 1 Lakh. This transformative step will bridge the gap between education and employment, paving the way for unprecedented career opportunities,” he asserted.

Kharge reiterated on Saturday that, unlike PM Modi, his party doesn’t indulge in false assurances. These remarks came in response to the release of Congress’s manifesto titled ‘Nyay Patra’, juxtaposed with BJP’s dismissal of it as a “compilation of baseless promises.”

“We commit to fulfilling 25 assurances once in power, unlike PM Modi, who resorts to falsehoods. Despite numerous pledges, I challenge you to identify a single promise fulfilled by him. He vowed to create 2 crore jobs annually. So, in the last decade, where are the promised 20 crore jobs? Have they materialized?” questioned Kharge.

Earlier, on Friday, the Congress unveiled its ‘Nyay Patra’ manifesto for the forthcoming seven-phased Lok Sabha elections, vowing, among other things, to implement the minimum support price (MSP) for farmers as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission. The Lok Sabha elections are slated across seven phases, commencing on April 19, with the vote counting scheduled for June 4.