"Youth wandering on roads begging for jobs with folded hands": Rahul Gandhi targets Centre

"Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has destroyed the employment by giving the wealth to the Billionaires. Youths are wandering on every road and town in the country begging for job with folded hands. But they get nothing," Rahul Gandhi said while addressing a rally in Karnataka's Bijapur.

"The rich people get their children to do an apprenticeship. And give them employment for one year. They give them temporary employment. They are being trained. But this facility is not being provided to the poor unemployed youth of the country," the Congress leader added.

His latest attack came on a day when the country is polling for the second phase to elect the 18th Lok Sabha. A political party needs 272 seats to govern. The first phase of polling for 102 constituencies was held on April 19.

He exuded confidence that the government led by the INDIA bloc (in case it is voted to power) is going to give apprenticeship rights to every graduate unemployed youth.

"The government of the INDIA bloc will be the first government in the world that is going to give the right of apprenticeship to every graduate unemployed youth of the country," he said.

"The first job to the crores of the youths are going to be guaranteed. In both the private and public sector, in government offices and hospitals, the government of the Hindustan (INDIA) will give apprenticeship to the youth," he said.

Karnataka is voting on 14 seats today in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections. JD(S) in alliance with BJP is contesting on three seats. The party is contesting from Mandya, Hassan, and Kolar seats. Voting began at 7 am.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress and JD-S fought together against the BJP and the combine was decimated. The BJP had won a record 25 seats; Congress and JD-S won just one seat each.

The Lok Sabha election is being held in seven phases till June 1 and votes will be counted on June 4.

The first phase of voting for the seven-phased Lok Sabha election, the world's largest electoral exercise, was held on April 19 in 102 constituencies across 21 states and UTs. According to the Election Commission, the voter turnout registered was over 62 per cent. The third phase election will be held on May 7. (ANI)