Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at the BJP government in the state and at the Centre over unemployment and corruption, saying joblessness is at its peak in the country.
“India has the highest unemployment ever in 45 years. PM had said that he would provide employment to two crore youth every year. Where did those jobs go? Instead, crores of youth have become unemployed,” he said, addressing a mega rally held in Ballari as the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ reached the 1,000-km milestone.
About the alleged 40% commission for government contracts in Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi said only rich people can get government jobs. “Why are 2.5 lakh government posts vacant in Karnataka? If you want to be police sub-inspector, you can be one by paying ₹ 80 lakh. If you have money, you can buy a government job in Karnataka. If you don’t have money, you can stay unemployed all your life,” said the former Congress president.
He demanded that the BJP government in the state increase reservations for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. “This government is anti-SC/ST. Since this government has come to power, there has been a 50 per cent rise in atrocities against SC/STs. ₹8,000 crore funds allotted for SC/STs have been diverted. When we were in power, we constituted the Justice Nagamohan Das committee. Instead of making excuses, the BJP must implement it at once.”
The BJP government has decided to implement the committee report. However, it is yet to make recommendations to the Centre. Speaking about Kalyana Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi said it was Congress which got the special status to the region. “The BJP government had refused to give special status to Kalyana Karnataka. Both Vajpayee and Advani refused to grant article 370 (J), but we recognised that you were struggling and granted it. Thousands of crores have been spent for the development of the region,” he said .
“We gave the name Bharat Jodo for this yatra because we felt and crores of people felt that BJP and RSS are dividing the country and making it weak.”
Speaking about his connection with Ballari, Rahul said, “There is a long relationship between my family and Ballari. My mother fought election from here and got wholehearted support. My grandmother, Indira Gandhi, fought from Chikkamagaluru. We cannot forget it,” he told the gathering.
Responding the Gandhi’s statement, Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai questioned the intention behind naming the rally Bharat Jodo Yatra. “Already, the country has been marching ahead as a united India. The question of re-fixing or uniting the country does not arise. India is united, and it is making rapid progress on the international level,’’ he said.
The chief minister said: “While the whole world is facing economic recession, including G-7 nations in general and the United States of America, India has maintained a minimum GDP at 7%. Since the first missile of former AICC president Rahul Gandhi has failed, now he is trying to relaunch it. Apart from this, the Bharat Jodo Yatra has absolutely no meaning.’’
“Didn’t the Congress party cheat the people of Ballari,’’ Bommai asked when asked what he will like to ask Congress leaders about the Bharat Jodo convention in Ballari.
“AICC President Sonia Gandhi had contested from Ballari along with Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh in Lok Sabha polls, and after she won from the seats, Sonia quit the Ballari seat and retained Rae Bareli. She did not acknowledge the people of Ballari for voting for her. The special package of ₹3,000 crore announced by her before quitting the Ballari seat, never became a reality. With what face the Congress leaders are doing padayatra in Ballari and is it not cheating people of Ballari?’’ he asked.
The chief minister expressed confidence of reaching the goal of winning 150 seats in 2023 assembly polls. Bommai said BJP’s three-day Janaankalp Yatra evoked a good response in four districts and has boosted the morale of workers.
Congress leader and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot in his address said the nation is facing challenges from “fascist” forces. Condemning what he called the “communal forces,” Gehlot claimed that people are suffering due to unemployment and price rise.
