Congress targets BJP over jobs, economy, social justice on Haryana poll eve

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge points to youth seeking jobs in conflict zones as evidence of the unemployment crisis; Rahul Gandhi asks voters to break the trap of the PM’s “crony capitalist policies”

A day before Haryana votes in the Assembly election, Congress leaders on Friday targeted the BJP over unemployment, the economy, and social justice.

Taking to social media platform X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that unemployment is so acute that the Union government’s Skill Development Corporation is facilitating the recruitment of about 15,000 Indian workers in strife-torn Israel, despite the fact that a few Indian youth have already lost their lives in the Russia-Ukraine war.

“It speaks volumes about the Joblessness induced by the anti-youth policies of the Modi Government,” Mr. Kharge said in his post. “The fact that young unskilled, semi-skilled and educated youth are willing to risk their lives and serve in war-ridden theatres, at reportedly high salaries, tells you that PM @narendramodi’s lofty claims on Jobs are nothing but Fake Retorts to hide his own failures! Youth of Haryana who are forced to seek jobs in these conflict zones will teach a befitting lesson to the BJP, tomorrow,” he added.

‘Disease of unemployment’

In a separate post, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi alleged that the “disease of unemployment” spread by the BJP has jeopardised the future of the State’s youth, creating a sense of “deep danger”. He said the people of the State would strike a blow to break the ‘chakravyuh [trap]’ of the Prime Minister’s “crony capitalist policies”.

Mr. Gandhi claimed that the BJP has broken the backbone of every system that provided employment to the youth of the State, noting that demonetisation and a “flawed” goods and services tax (GST) have hurt small businesses.

“The BJP has failed the economy in Haryana and India. They have pushed crores into informal jobs and forced lakhs to leave India by destroying small businesses. Their only interest is in products that are mass-produced by Adani! The people of Haryana understand this very well. They will soon strike the next blow to break the ‘chakravyuh’ of Modiji’s crony capitalist policies,” the Congress leader said.

Appeal to Dalit voters

The Congress also targeted the BJP on the issue of social justice, with an eye on the Dalit voters who make up nearly 20% of the State’s population.

On Thursday, Ashok Tanwar, who had joined the BJP and unsuccessfully contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election against the Congress’s Kumari Selja from Sirsa, returned to the Congress fold while Ms. Selja met with Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chief Sonia Gandhi. Mr. Tanwar, who formally joined the party on Fruday in the presence of party treasurer Ajay Maken, alleged that the BJP did not have much faith in Babasahab Ambedkar and the Constitution.

“I request all the Dalits and backward classes of Haryana that in order to make the State No. 1 and to ensure that the people of Haryana get their rights... all sections, I request them to give a big mandate [to the Congress] to send a message to the country,” he said.

Published - October 05, 2024 02:21 am IST