The youth wing of the Congress on Thursday launched a nationwide campaign to prepare a National Register of Unemployed (NRU) to highlight rising unemployment and demand answers from the government about the steps it was taking to address the issue.
The campaign was launched at the Congress headquarters in the national capital by the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) chief Srinivas B.V. and the Congress in-charge for IYC, Krishna Allavaru.
“The IYC will reach out to every unemployed person. To prepare the data base, a phone number (8151994411) has been circulated on which one can give a missed call,” Mr. Allavaru said.
With a slogan that said ‘ 45 saalon main pehli baar, desh main sabse zyada berozgaar’ (A first in past 45 years, the largest number unemployed youth), the IYC also prepared short video clips that would be launched on various social media platforms.
The demand for the NRU is in response to the high rate of unemployment in India, which has reached its highest level in 45 years, the IYC leaders said.
Congress leaders said the NRU is also an attempt to keep the focus on ‘real issues’ and not allow the BJP to change the narrative into a polarizing one.
“We do not want to hear about the CAA [Citizenship Amendment Act] or the NRC [National Register of Citizens]. We want to hear from you [the government] on what you are doing to increase employment in the country,” Mr Allavaru said.
The Congress cited the data of the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) to point out that as many as 36 youth committed suicide every day because of unemployment and the problem is at an all-time high in the last 45 years.
He said the root cause of recession in India is “Modi-made” because of wrong policies like demonetisation and poor implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST).
“The Youth Congress is ready to buy a pair of spectacles from anywhere in the world for the Prime Minister to see the problems of the youth,” Mr Srinivas said, referring to a pair being allegedly bought for ₹2.5 lakh for Mr Modi to watch the solar eclipse.
IYC spokesperson Amrish Ranjan said that as part of the campaign for an NRU, unemployed youth will have to call on the toll free number and the call details would collected and eventually be sent to the government.
