Unemployment biggest issue in UP: AAP slams Centre as foot march enters Hathras

The Aam Aadmi Party’s “Rozgar Do, Samajik Nyay Do” foot march reached Hathras on Sunday, where the party accused the Central government of diverting attention from core issues such as employment, education and social justice.

The fourth leg of the statewide protest march, led by Rajya Sabha MP and AAP’s Uttar Pradesh in-charge Sanjay Singh, began in Agra on April 3 and is scheduled to conclude in Mathura on April 9.

Speaking to reporters, Singh criticised the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that efforts were being made to spread hatred in the name of caste and religion instead of addressing pressing concerns. He said the primary aim of the march is to highlight unemployment and counter divisive politics.

“A long queue of unemployed youth has emerged in Uttar Pradesh,” Singh said.

He claimed that students graduating from institutions such as University of Allahabad, University of Lucknow, Aligarh Muslim University, and Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University are struggling to find jobs and allegedly face police action when they demand employment.

Singh added that Asha workers, anganwadi workers and ‘shiksha mitras’ in Uttar Pradesh have been agitating for regularisation, while farmers are grappling with financial distress. He also alleged that street vendors are facing eviction drives.

Calling unemployment the “biggest issue” in the state, Singh said the party is raising the slogan “Provide jobs or give Rs 10,000 monthly unemployment allowance.”

Raising the issue of social justice, he said discrimination based on caste and religion must end.

Taking a swipe at the Prime Minister, Singh said that during Modi’s recent visit to Kerala, he did not discuss issues such as education, healthcare, Digital India, Make in India, black money, the strength of the rupee or cooking gas shortages, indicating that the ruling dispensation at the Centre relies solely on caste and religious polarisation for votes.

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