Modi govt destroyed unorganized sector consisting of small and medium enterprises: Rahul Gandhi

"Open the doors of Youth Congress, break down the walls, take in all those crores of youth who are unhappy with Narendra Modi’s “hum do humare do” government, unhappy with the Pegasus snooping, who are searching for jobs and a future, you become their voice,” Rahul Gandhi said addressing thousands of youth Congress leaders at the Sansad Gherao event by Indian Youth Congress.

Thousands of youth congress leaders and volunteers from across India including state office bearers had gathered in Delhi this week for the Parliament Gherao event under the leadership of IYC President BV Srinivas. Also present at the event were Indian Youth Congress President BV Srinivas, Shaktisinh Gohil, Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal, Krishana Allavaru, Lok Sabha MP from Chhattisgarh Deepak Baij among others.

Reportedly, several groups coming to Delhi from various regions were earlier stopped at the Delhi border and not allowed to enter. Many IYC leaders who had reached Delhi on Wednesday night were not allowed. Others who had already reached Delhi and staying in different hotels were not allowed to leave their hotels.

At the protest site, as the group started walking towards the Parliament, Delhi Police resorted to lathi charge and hundreds of youth congress members including IYC President Srinivas and other State office holders were detained at the Mandir Marg police station, sources said.

“A total of 589 people, including 28 women, two MPs and two MLAs, were detained during the protest carried out by Indian Youth Congress. No permission to carry out the protest march was given to the organiser, IYC president Srinivas BV,” New Delhi DCP Deepak Yadav was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Apart from inspiring the youth congress workers to become a voice for every Indian youth and open IYC as a platform for all those disgruntled with the present government, Rahul Gandhi also upped the ante against PM Modi on the Pegasus spyware scandal. "Your mobile phone is your voice. Narendra Modi has put the idea of Pegasus in the mobile phone of every youth, not just mine. This idea is that if you speak the truth, Narendra Modi and Pegasus are there in your phones," Gandhi said.

He also boldly claimed that as long as Modi is the Prime Minister the youth of India would not find jobs. “The gravest issue the Indian youth are facing today is the crisis of unemployment, and there is only one reason behind it, Modi government has destroyed the unorganized sector consisting of small and medium enterprises. He is trying to accumulate all income in the hands of two of his rich friends,” he said.

Raising the issue of biased media and a systematic silencing of the opposition voice Rahul Gandhi said, “On Lok Sabha Television (LSTV), you will only see BJP’s MPs speaking. Opposition is standing with placards, but it would not be seen on LSTV because Modi is trying to silence the truth in India.” Addressing the members of the press he asked, “Does the government allow you to speak the truth, discuss unemployment and other issue? A Dalit girl was raped and murdered did anybody cover it? Modi’s agenda is to silence the youth of India everywhere from college to university to streets.”

The event was a peaceful and democratic way to protest against skyrocketing inflation, unbridled unemployment, black agricultural laws and Pegasus snooping scandal in the country, IYC sources say. “The BJP is running away from the debate, but in the meantime is passing the bills. The meaning of the central government is clear - they are not concerned with discussing the issues of public interest. That is why Parliament is not being allowed to function. In the government of good days, people are getting helpless, and friends are getting rich,” said IYC National Media In-charge Rahul Rao. “As an organization we felt united and inspired by each other but the way Delhi Police behaved with us, we felt the government is at war with its citizens. It was also disappointing to see how the mainstream media remained missing from the scene. There was no coverage of what all we went through. The media’s responsibility is to give opposition a voice,” said Surbhi Dwivedi, National Secretary, IYC.

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