Disgruntled youth force CM Yogi to run, disrupt ‘employment fair’

The growing army of educated unemployed is no longer impressed with platitudes and promises. Thousands of restive youth on Saturday disrupted an ‘Employment Fair’ in Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh, put up by the Skill Development Corporation.

They raised slogans, hurled brickbats, heckled UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath and forced him to wind up his keynote address within five minutes and leave the venue. The agitated youths hurled balled-up handkerchiefs, towels, and water bottles towards the stage.

After he left, there was a free for all as the youth clashed with each other, vandalised the stalls and hurled chairs. Organisers claimed that they expected five to six thousand youth to turn up for registration, on-the-spot interviews and counselling etc. But over 30,000 of them turned up.

Media reports quoted the youth complaining that only people with contacts in the ruling party were being offered employment. Some complained that the jobs on offer carried monthly salaries hovering around Rupees five thousand. Others were outraged at representatives of prospective employers who had put up stalls ignoring ‘merit’ and indulge in favouritism.

The ruckus began as soon as the Chief Minister accompanied by Union Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha lit the ceremonial lamp. A shocked Yogi Adityanath left the venue in a huff after hurriedly handing over appointment letters to two youths amist all kinds of slogans being shouted by the participating youths, Dainik Jagran reported.

Union Minister Manoj Sinha later attributed the ruckus to anti-social elements, reported Hindustan Times.

An official who refused to be named, told HT that there was a ruckus at the event which was attended by 30,000 people instead of the anticipated 5,000-6,000.

“I haven’t received any complaint in this connection. If a complaint is filed, a case will be registered and action will be taken accordingly,” Inspector Ravindra Bhushan Maurya, the station officer of Ghazipur kotwali police station was quoted as saying.