Rahul Gandhi slams govt for lack of jobs, ministers hit back

New Delhi: The Congress is sharpening its knives to take on the government in the current Budget Session. The party’s top leadership led by Congress president Sonia Gandhi met on Tuesday to chart out the future course of action. Like the Winter Session of Parliament this time also the thrust is on Opposition unity.

Major issues on which the Congress is planning to corner the government are adverse impact of demonetisation, attack on institutions like the Reserve Bank of India, NIA, CBI by the government, ceasefire violations and increased terror activities. Since the economic survey has already mentioned that the GDP growth will decline in the next two fiscals it will also be used by the Congress to target the Modi government.

Soon after the President’s address on the first day of the Budget Session listed out the Modi government’s achievements, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi hit out at the Centre alleging that it has been a “complete failure” on job creation front.

“The main question in India today is creation of jobs for young people. It is a big issue today to provide jobs for youth in India,” he said. The Congress has been critical of the government on economic issues, especially after demonetisation.

Taking a dig at Rahul, several Union ministers said that the Congress leader’s remarks were due to his “disappointment and frustration” at not having a job and even suggested to join one of the skill development centres.  

Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said the Congress is “not in a position to stand on its own feet” and therefore, has to “sit on the carrier of a cycle” in Uttar Pradesh, referring to the Congress-SP alliance in the poll-bound state. Cycle is the election symbol of ruling SP.

“He did not get employment what can we do? His party is failing at every stage. He is not in a position to stand on his own feet. Such an old party and it had to sit on the carrier of a cycle in UP. That is why due to his disappointmentand frustration, he might have interpreted it like this,” Mr Naidu told reporters outside Parliament. He said Modi government gave highest ever allocation to rural job scheme MNREGA other than the 70-odd initiatives implemented by the government for employment generation.

Reacting to Mr Gandhi remarks, skill development and entrepreneurship minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy said, “If he (Rahul) wants to understand employment and where to get it, it would have been better that the Prime Minister Kaushal Kendras that we are establishing, he can come and get admitted in that Kendra. He would be able to see then, how and where employment is generated and he himself will be benefited.”