Defying administrative pressure and police arrests, a large number of unemployed youngsters across all major districts of Uttar Pradesh lit candles and diyas on Wednesday night under the “9pm9minute” campaign.
The campaign was aimed to show the anger and frustration of scores of jobless youths to the regime and express solidarity with each other.
Former IPS Surya Pratap Singh, who has been facing ire of the current regime for being vocal, had called for the campaign to connect youths across India.
The youths raised slogans against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accused them of being responsible for this situation of massive joblessness.
“Over 1.6 lakh government vacancies were to be filled in various departments including police and education. Candidates with degrees and diplomas in engineering, pharmacy, clerks, agriculture and other subjects have been waiting for recruitment for the last three years,” rue youngsters.
Another youth said, “In many cases vacancies are not advertised for 1-3 years, where it was advertised, exams are not held and in many cases results are stuck jeopardising the career of lakhs of people. To make matters, private companies have either shut the shop or are scaling down staff.”
Opposition leaders - SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi - had extended their support to the campaign.
Members of Youth Congress and Samajwadi Party Chhatra Sabha, who were marching towards Yogi’s residence, were arrested in Lucknow.
Congress leader Anshu Awasthi says, “Although the Yogi government claims to have provided lakhs of jobs recently, most of those claims lie on papers. That's why the government is scared and resorted to arresting students.”
