Congress Chief Kharge: J&K Youth Set to Show Modi the Exit on October 1 Amid Unemployment Crisis

New Delhi, Sep 1: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge launched a scathing attack on the BJP, accusing the party of deceiving the youth of Jammu and Kashmir and promising that they will show Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party the exit door in the upcoming elections on October 1. Kharge expressed his concerns in a post on X, highlighting the alarming youth unemployment rate of 28.2 percent in Jammu and Kashmir as of March, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS).

Kharge lambasted the BJP for its alleged failures in addressing the pressing issues of unemployment and corruption in the region. He pointed out that the recruitment process across various government departments has been plagued by multiple exam paper leaks, bribery scandals, and rampant corruption, leading to hiring delays for over four years. He further claimed that a staggering 65 percent of government department posts in Jammu and Kashmir have remained vacant since 2019.

Kharge also highlighted the plight of over 60,000 government daily wagers who have been working for more than 15 years, earning a meager Rs 300 per day. Despite their long service, these workers remain on a contract basis, even in essential departments such as Power, Public Health, and Engineering, underscoring the precarious nature of employment in the region.

The Congress leader criticized the BJP’s promises of industrial development in Jammu and Kashmir, pointing out that the Union Territory lacks major manufacturing units. He noted that the private sector is largely confined to providing services in farming, hospitality, and health, with little progress in establishing a robust industrial base. Kharge also mentioned the New Industrial Policy introduced in 2021, lamenting that only 3 percent of the promised investments have materialized on the ground, while 40 percent of projects under the Prime Minister’s Development Package of 2015 remain incomplete.

As the elections to the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly approach, with voting scheduled in three phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1, Kharge emphasized that the youth of Jammu and Kashmir are poised to hold the BJP accountable for its shortcomings. He confidently predicted that on October 1, the youth would “show the exit door to Modi and company,” signaling a potential shift in the political landscape of the region. The results of the election will be declared on October 8.