Congress Targets Government, Says Reels Won’t Replace Jobs for India’s Youth
Mumbai, Aug 04 : The Congress on Tuesday launched a fresh attack on the Narendra Modi-led government, alleging that its economic and employment policies have pushed the country into a worsening jobs crisis. The opposition party claimed that instead of addressing the concerns of unemployed youth, the Centre is focusing on publicity and diverting attention from the issue.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh referred to a media report indicating a slowdown in recruitment by several major listed companies, arguing that the figures reflect broader challenges in India’s employment landscape. According to the report, fresh hiring by 11 leading companies in the Sensex-30 index declined by 27 percent during the 2025-26 financial year compared with 2023-24.
Reacting to the report, Ramesh said the trend reinforces the Congress’ long-standing criticism that the government’s economic policies have adversely affected job creation. He asserted that young people have been the worst affected by the slowdown and urged the Centre to acknowledge the seriousness of the employment situation.
The Congress leader further claimed that the decline in recruitment by large corporations is only one part of a much wider problem. He argued that if established companies are witnessing weaker hiring, the condition of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector is likely to be even more challenging, given the pressures it has faced in recent years.
Ramesh alleged that the government continues to deny the existence of the employment crisis instead of introducing measures to revive hiring and support businesses. He accused the Centre of concentrating on image-building exercises while neglecting policies aimed at generating sustainable employment opportunities for young Indians.
Taking an apparent swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent social media outreach, the Congress leader remarked that promotional videos alone would not address the aspirations of the country’s youth. He maintained that meaningful employment opportunities, rather than online campaigns, are essential to meet the expectations of job seekers.
The Congress has repeatedly raised concerns over employment trends in recent months, calling for stronger economic measures to boost investment, support businesses, and create more jobs across sectors. The ruling government, however, has consistently maintained that its economic reforms and infrastructure initiatives are expanding employment opportunities and strengthening long-term growth.
