Chandigarh: The Congress on Tuesday targeted the Manohar Lal Khattar government in Haryana over the unemployment issue, asserting that it has proved to be a "curse" for the youths of the state. The Opposition party claimed that Haryana has the highest unemployment rate in the country with senior party leader Kumari Selja saying the way BJP-JJP government was working, the state appeared to have become a "standstill".
Addressing the media here, she reminded the BJP of its promise of providing two crore jobs every year and alleged that the Narendra Modi government at the Centre was an "expert in giving slogans only". Targeting the BJP-JJP dispensation in Haryana, Selja said, "If we look at the last five years' data, this government has proved to be a curse for our youth."
The youths of Haryana have the potential of shining in every sector, the Congress leader said and asked, "But what is the reason that they have been reduced to second-class citizens in our state?" Haryana could not become a hub of agriculture, IT or in any field but has become "a hub of unemployment", Selja said.
Citing a report of the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), Selja said Haryana has the highest unemployment rate of 37 per cent while 2 lakh posts were vacant in various government departments. Congress leader Randeep Surjewala also hit out at the Khattar government over the issue.
Taking on the government over the common eligibility test (CET) conducted in 2019, Surjewala accused the Khattar dispensation of befooling the state's youths. As many as 11.22 lakh candidates appeared for the exam in 2022 of which 3.59 lakh passed. Now those who passed the CET have been told that only four times the advertised posts would be called for the main exam, he said.
He further alleged the state government has not filled a single post between 2019 and 2023 while 2 lakh posts were lying vacant in different departments. Congress MLA Kiran Chaudhary also criticised the state government alleging that recruitment exercises for different posts in Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation, Harco Bank, and other departments were initiated in the past few years but never filled.
Replying to a question, Surjewala said, "We all are soldiers of the Congress. We were always united and will remain so. Our target is to raise the voice of the unemployed Haryana youths and if the need arises, they will launch any sort of struggle for this." (PTI)
