Systematic effort to distract attention by pitting Indians against each other: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who completed the Uttar Pradesh leg of the ongoing ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ on Thursday, said the ‘outpouring of support’ from the residents has given warmth amid the ‘coldest days of winter’.

Rahul’s message was shared by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Twitter.

The Wayanad MP hit out at the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, alleging a “systematic effort to silence questions”.

“It is very difficult for people to talk openly about these problems in Uttar Pradesh. There is a systematic effort to silence questions, and distract attention by pitting Indians against each other on the lines of caste, religion, language, food and dress,” Gandhi said.

He said that unemployment is one of the biggest problems leaving the youth “desperately looking for jobs and security”.

Gandhi said the ‘misguided policies’ of the Centre have ‘diminished’ employment in the public and private sectors. He cited the Agniveer scheme as an example of the same and said that job security is reducing.

“The Agniveer scheme is an example of what is happening to government jobs — the number of posts is reducing, training is reducing, and job security is reducing. Youth who aspire to serve their country are being treated as a burden instead,” he said.

Gandhi said the people of Uttar Pradesh are angry with the state government which, he alleged, has “betrayed promises”.

“The predominantly small farmers of UP have been struggling with issues like rising costs, no MSP, stray cattle, diminished procurements of rice and delayed payments for sugarcane. They are angry with the government, which tried to crush their voices during the farm law agitation, and then has betrayed promises to solve their issues. Marginalized communities are often victims of crime — it is a matter of shame that a quarter of all crimes against Dalits occur in Uttar Pradesh,” Gandhi said.

ANI