New Delhi, Oct 27 The BJP on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress over a prolonged protest by job aspirants in Kerala, saying Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra should apologise for “neglecting” the youths who were awaiting appointments as teachers despite clearing Public Service Commission (PSC) examinations.
Senior BJP leader GVL Narasimha Rao accused the Congress of indulging in “opportunistic politics” by supporting protests in states where it is not in power while ignoring the demands of youth in states governed by the party.
He also criticised the Kerala government over the delay in addressing the grievances of job aspirants.
“If there is any shame, the Congress leadership, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, you gave sermons and lectures about youth, ‘chhatron ki goonj’, and all kinds of slogans. Where are you? Where have you disappeared? Hasn’t your conscience been affected by this kind of, this level of public protest?” the former Rajya Sabha MP told reporters at the BJP headquarters here.
He said the protesters had cleared the PSC examinations and secured ranks on merit but were still awaiting appointments.
“In Thiruvananthapuram, some young people have been protesting continuously for 114 days in front of the state secretariat. Their demand is that they be given jobs after having passed the PSC examinations and secured ranks on the merit list,” he said.
He alleged that the Kerala Public Service Commission “is known for corruption and for appointing Left and Congress cadre members, while apparently having little place for the ordinary youth of Kerala”.
These young people have been protesting, saying that they have secured ranks and must be given jobs, particularly as primary school teachers, but they have not been appointed, he said.
He also said the police and the local administration did not allow the protesters to put up shelter for themselves as it was raining yesterday.
“As a result, one of the leading women in the protest was forced to cut and donate her hair as a form of protest,” Rao said.
“These visuals are shocking, painful and shameful. But the Congress party appears to feel no shame at all,” he added.
“It’s very rare that a woman ever gives up her hair like this. I would consider this an ultimate form of protest and an ultimate form of sacrifice,” he said.
Valarmathi, secretary of the Action Council and convenor of the protest committee, on Monday shaved her head and started an indefinite hunger strike outside the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, demanding appointments to government institutions before the Kerala PSC rank list for the post of Lower Primary School Teacher (LPST) expires.
Rao alleged that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra frequently visited Kerala to seek electoral support but had failed to engage with the protesting youth.
“You want to go to Kerala to find a safe seat for you in Lok Sabha, but you don’t have the concern to speak to the protesters, or to tell your own government to do justice to them. I think this is the height of hypocrisy of Rahul and Priyanka,” Rao said.
He demanded that the two Congress leaders apologise to the protesters, particularly the woman at the forefront of the movement, and intervene to ensure that their grievances were addressed.
“We demand immediate response from the Congress party. If you refuse to respond, if you go silent, do not think that people of this country will forget your acts of ignoring such ultimate protest,” he said.
Rao also accused the Congress of maintaining silence over job-related protests in Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Punjab, alleging that the party followed different standards depending on whether it was in power in a state.
“You don’t have a uniform yardstick. You only want to indulge in politics, politics of opportunism, in states where you are not in power,” he said.
The BJP leader questioned the functioning of the Kerala Public Service Commission, alleging corruption and favouritism in recruitment and claiming that jobs were being given to cadres associated with the Congress and Left parties.
Rao said the BJP wanted the commission to be held accountable and the state government to ensure transparency in recruitment.
He alleged that the Kerala government was protecting those involved in recruitment-related scams.
The BJP leader said the party would support young people protesting for jobs across the country and urged the Kerala government to meet the protesters and find an immediate solution to their grievances.
He also alleged that Congress leaders had supported the protesters’ demands before coming to power in Kerala but had failed to fulfil their promises after assuming office.
“It is typical of the Congress party to make promises and dishonour them after coming to power. It is high time that the Congress government in Kerala met the protesters and found an immediate solution to their problems,” Rao said.
He said the Congress was accountable to the people of Kerala, who had voted the Congress-led United Democratic Front to power, and could not remain a “mute spectator” to the prolonged agitation.
(PTI News)
