Take Five: Congress Seizes Its ‘Guarantee’ Mantra, Promises Govt Jobs, Safety Net for Gig Workers

The Congress on Thursday (March 7) promised a ‘rozgaar revolution’ if it is voted to power in the Lok Sabha elections with five guarantees to bring ‘ yuva nyay ‘ (justice to the youth) through employment including assurances of a right to apprenticeship, end to paper leaks, social security for the gig economy, filling vacant posts for government jobs and a startup fund

Addressing a rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara during the ongoing Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Congress MP and former president Rahul Gandhi said that unemployment is the biggest issue in the country.

‘Unemployment is the biggest issue in the country. So today I want to tell you what the Congress is doing for the yuva of the country for the poor, adivasi and Dalits of this country,’ he said.

‘First, we have counted that there are 30 lakh government vacancies in the country. Modi ji is not filling these vacancies. Our first goal after coming to power is that 30 lakh government jobs will be given. Second, we brought MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) that gave employment guarantees to lakhs. Similarly we will give the right to apprenticeship to the youth of this country. This apprenticeship will be given to all graduates and diploma holders. For one year every graduate in private, public offices will be given apprenticeship along with Rs 1 lakh. This will be a MGNREGA-like right. This will benefit crores of youth in the country,’ he said.

Gandhi said that during his previous Bharat Jodo Yatra, the youth of the country had spoken to him about paper leaks and exams to government posts being cancelled due to such leaks. The Wire has reported that in the last month over 50 lakh youth have been affected by paper leaks in Uttar Pradesh alone.

‘We will bring a new legislation against paper leaks under which we will standardise the way in which exams are conducted,’ said Gandhi.

‘There will be no outsourcing to private companies and only the government will hold exams. If paper leaks happen we will take such action that it is not repeated.’

During the interim budget session, the Modi government brought in a legislation against paper leaks that seeks to prevent paper leaks and malpractices in government recruitment examinations and provides for punishment, including imprisonment of up to ten years and a fine of up to Rs 1 crore.

Gandhi said that Congress’s fourth guarantee is that it will bring a legislation for gig workers as it had brought in Rajasthan.

‘Fourth, the youth of this country are engaged as gig workers in Ola, Uber, as well as delivery personnel. In Rajasthan, we brought a law to protect them with social security and pension. This law we will bring at the national level,’ he said.

In its fifth guarantee, Gandhi said that the Congress will start a Startup fund of Rs 5,000 crore called the Yuva Roshni Fund which will be at the district level to help youth to start their own businesses. ‘Modi started Startup India, Standup India and Make in India but that made no difference. It only benefitted big businesses,’ he added.

In addition to these five guarantees for the youth, the Congress manifesto will also bring in a law guaranteeing MSP for farmers, and a nationwide caste census which it had promised earlier.

Kharge said that while the BJP accuses the Congress of dynastic politics, whenever the grand old party has been in power it has taken care of the poor.

‘Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru ji formed this country and the Constitution was brought under the leadership of Babasaheb Ambedkar. The rights that we have is because of the blessings of Nehru and Ambedkar. They (BJP) only talk about ‘parivarvaad’ (dynasty politics). How many times will they repeat the same thing? Tell the people what work we have done. We can tell them about what we have done; what Indira Gandhi has done; what Lal Bahadur Shastri ji has done or what Nehru ji has done. But what work have they done?’ he said.

The Congress’s five guarantees to the youth comes a day after the party’s manifesto committee which includes former finance minister P. Chidambaram, and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor presented the draft manifesto to Kharge.