Joblessness and Delhi Riots? This Congress Leader Says It's Easy to Mislead Unemployed Youth

Bhopal: Congress national spokesperson Sanjay Jha said the alleged involvement of outsiders in the recent Delhi riots was linked to growing joblessness in the country.

Hitting out at the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre, Jha said, “We are going through a phase of all-time lows — GDP (11 years), investment (17 years), manufacturing (15 years), private demand (seven years), and agriculture (four years),” adding the only staggering number is the record 45-year-high unemployment.

“That is the reason why the BJP is successful in quick mobilisation of mobs that indulge in arson, looting and violence like what transpired in the national capital recently,” he added.

When asked to elaborate further, Jha said it is easy to mislead and instigate unemployed youth.

The senior Congress functionary, who was in Bhopal on Friday, said unemployment has destroyed India’s competitive advantage of the demographic dividend. “The social cost of unemployment is huge, resulting in the exploitation of youth for nefarious purposes which could lead to social anarchy,” he said.

To clarify his point, Jha cited an instance wherein 28 million youth men and women had applied for 16,000 clerical jobs in railways and applicants — these included highly qualified individuals such as PhD and MBA-degree holders, and engineers.

Jha said there has been a 400% rise in non-performing assets (NPAs) during the NDA rule as compared to the performance of banks during the Manmohan Singh-headed United Progressive Alliance (UPS) government. “It seems it is an NPA government and not an NDA government,” he said.

Jha said foreign investors were withdrawing their money from India due to its dismal economic situation.

While the world is feeling the adverse effects of coronavirus that has disrupted supply chains amid falling demand, Jha said India has a major internal problem — "the virus of hate". Social harmony is a pre-requisite for economic growth, he added.

“How can the Indian economy grow amid a fractured society where there are riots, lynching, and attacks on Dalits, intellectuals and students? The BJP forgets that before developing an economy, we need to build a proper society,” he said.