Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee President Ajay Rai on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the state government over its recently organised “Rojgar Mahakumbh” (employment fair), accusing it of endangering the lives of unemployed youth by allegedly offering them jobs in conflict-ridden regions like Israel.
Speaking at a press conference at the UP Congress headquarters on Wednesday, Rai claimed that the government is trying to cover up its failure to generate employment by creating such “misleading and chaotic” events.
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He said candidates were being lured with job opportunities in Israel, a country currently facing war-like conditions. “This is nothing short of pushing our youth into a war zone under the guise of employment. Instead of solving the unemployment crisis, the government is risking the lives of our youth,” Rai said.
He further criticised the poor organisation and management of the employment fair. “Resumes and degrees of the participating candidates were found dumped in the garbage. The entire event was filled with mismanagement and insensitivity. Most of the youth had no clue about the process or their future,” he added.
Ajay Rai also took a dig at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, accusing him of making hollow speeches and ignoring ground realities. Citing a report from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), he pointed out that the labour participation rate among youth aged 20 to 24 has been steadily declining—a worrying trend, according to him, that indicates young people have stopped seeking jobs out of sheer hopelessness.
Quoting an ILO report, Rai said that unemployment among youth in Uttar Pradesh is rising, and the government has failed across all sectors—from providing jobs to ensuring public health, from delivering fertilisers to farmers to guaranteeing women’s safety.
In a strong rebuke, Rai also criticised the government’s claims about cleanliness in Lucknow. “Despite being touted as the third cleanest city in India, people are dying due to contaminated water. In areas like Jankipuram, sewer water is mixing with the drinking water supply. One street vendor died due to waterborne disease, but the hospital listed the cause of death as diabetes,” he alleged, pointing out that this incident occurred in the constituency of the Defence Minister.
Rai concluded by accusing the state government of manipulating data and showcasing false narratives to win awards, instead of addressing the real problems on the ground.