Youth march in national capital today to demand educational, employment opportunities from govt

The youths have accused the Union government of presenting an Interim Budget that was silent on the issue of jobs and employment opportunities for the young population in the country.

New Delhi: Student leaders and union members from different universities will take part in a march from the Red Fort to Parliament Street in the national capital today to demand educational and employment opportunities from the government. The youths have accused the Union government of presenting an Interim Budget that was silent on the issue of jobs and employment opportunities for the young population in the country.

Some of the demands include filling up of all government vacancies, creation of more government jobs, stopping the policy of fund cuts and seat cuts and spending 10 per cent of the country's GDP on education. Various leaders from opposition parties are expected to address the gathering in Parliament Street.

N Sai Balaji, the president of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union, said, "(Prime Minister Narendra) Modi will come to young India for one more chance. But this time we are not going to give him any chance as our PM. Modi has ruined our future. Through our unity we are going to ensure all vacant government jobs are filled, 10 per cent of GDP is spent on education, gender and social justice is ensured."

Student leaders from AISA, Pinjra tod, Samajwadi Yuvjan Sabha, Aam Aadmi Party students' wing Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS), Youth for Swaraj etc. argued how the budget was conspicuous by its silence on the issue of jobs, except for pompously declaring that job-seekers have turned job-creators in India. "This is a huge blow to the youth of the country who are suffering from massive unemployment rate in the wake of demonetisation. The budget is equally silent about the key demands of regularisation and minimum wages raised by employees," they said in the statement.

Shivani from CYSS said campuses have been turned into "war zones" by the Modi government.

Meanwhile, Patidar leader Hardik Patel pledged support to the march and tweeted, "I am going to Young India Adhikar March. 24 lakhs govt. Posts lying vacant. Crores of youth on streets unemployed. From SSC to Railway From Bank to UPSC Their voices unite on 7th Feb, Young India Adhikar March Let's support and be part of the student-youth unity! #7FebDilliChalo."

Students of Jamia Millia Islamia have said they will boycott the march since the demands do not include tracing JNU student Najeeb Ahmed who went missing in October 2016.

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