Rahul Gandhi has seemingly found a potent counter to 'Modi's guarantees'. Kicking off the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi proposes five justice assurances, one being a groundbreaking youth employment guarantee made public.
Before entering Gujarat via Rajasthan, Gandhi wrote on social media, 'Respect for degrees is coming, solutions for problems are coming, and jobs for everyone are coming.'
In Banswara, Rajasthan, he announced, in presence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, his plan to provide 30 lakh government jobs and a guaranteed apprenticeship for graduates for a year.
Looking back at the 2022 UP elections, the youth justice guarantee resembles Congress' recruitment policy announced at the time. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reminded us on social site X about its provisions to halt paper leaks and recruitment corruption.
During the UP elections, Priyanka Gandhi vowed 20 lakh government jobs, reserving 40% for women - her campaign slogan being 'Ladki Hoon... Lad Sakti Hoon' (I am a girl... I can fight).
Rahul Gandhi now promises 30 lakh government jobs by filling existing vacancies. He asserts that fulfilling these would suffice for the youth.
The Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) announced by Rahul Gandhi during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections can be viewed as an extension, albeit bigger. While NYAY was intended for the poor, this youth justice guarantee targets the nation's unemployed youths.
Gandhi assures that if his party comes to power, graduates will have the right to apprenticeships, similar to the guarantees under MNREGA. Congress appears prepared to enter the 2024 Lok Sabha election ground with significant pledges for the youth.
Rahul Gandhi's Youth Guarantee amidst the Justice Yatra
In a Banswara rally, he revealed Congress' vow to guarantee legal MSP and asserted their fight is one with the tribals for water, forests, and land - standing in solidarity with them.
Questioning what Congress plans for the youth, Gandhi laid out the steps, 'We've counted... India has 30 lakh vacant government positions... Modi Ji doesn't fill them... BJP doesn't... our first act will be providing these 30 lakh jobs.'
'These are five historic actions for the youth... assuring recruitment... filling 30 lakh vacancies... ensuring the first job... freedom from paper leaks... social security for gig workers and allocating 5000 crores for district startups under Youth Light - we will do this for you,' Gandhi addresses the gig economy referencing the unorganized sector workers.
Gandhi emphasized, 'We're granting all Indian youths the right to apprenticeship... every graduate will have this right post college... be it in government or private enterprises for a year, with 100,000 rupees besides.'
And the highlight from Gandhi, 'The apprenticeship right will be immediate, just like MNREGA's, the day after college.'
UP didn't bite, will the nation follow suit?
Regarding the initiative for 40% women candidate tickets, Gandhi mentioned, 'This is just the beginning.' Despite this, post-UP elections, no equivalent scheme surfaced for women. Post the passing of the Women's Reservation Bill, BJP made some overtures, but Congress' plan for future elections remains to be seen.
While Congress didn't gain traction in UP with job promises and graduate apprenticeships, its strength elsewhere hasn't grown. The party formed governments in Karnataka and Telangana, but lost grip in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
Big question for Congress: Post the Ram Mandir construction, will their employment guarantees weigh against BJP's Hindutva agenda? Congress is actively promoting these promises on social site X under the hashtag #PehliNaukriPakki (First job assured).
