Hyderabad: The winds of discontent stirred vigorously among the unemployed youth during a protest at Osmania University in Hyderabad on Thursday, December 21, a day after Telangana deputy chief minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka ‘backtracked’ on the Congress’ promise of providing unemployment allowances.
The angry protesters set ablaze copies of the Congress manifesto. They also accused Telangana CM Revanth Reddy and deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka of ‘duping them within a mere 15 days of assuming power’.
Unemployment Joint Action Committee (JAC) chairman Manavatarai Roy warned the Congress government that the unemployed masses are prepared to escalate their agitation if a detailed report (white paper) on the promised Rs 4,000 monthly unemployment benefits and creation of 2,000 jobs was delivered within two months.
Deputy CM backtracks
On Wednesday, Telangana’s deputy CM Vikramarka refuted claims of the promised unemployment allowance. Addressing the Assembly, he asserted that the party never pledged such an allowance. “Focusing on job creation was among the six guarantees made to the state’s people ahead of the recent Assembly polls,” he said.
However, contradicting Vikramarka’s assertion, the Congress manifesto explicitly pledged a monthly unemployment allowance of Rs 4,000 for each unemployed youth until they secure employment.
AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, during the Hyderabad Youth Declaration, had passionately advocated for change, emphasising this monthly stipend as a crucial promise to the state’s unemployed people.
BRS reacts
This conflicting stance ignited a flurry of accusations from the BJP and BRS. BRS spokesperson Krishank Manne, who highlighted the party’s deviation from its pre-election assurances, accusing the Congress of reneging on commitments made to the youth and aspirants and compared this shift to earlier deviations regarding the Rythu Bharosa (farmer’s insurance) scheme.
