Varun Gandhi tweets on unemployment, says situation getting dire

BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Friday shared a BBC video of a youth airing his views on unemployment referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's controversial remarks on selling pakora, saying turning attention away from the "dire situation" is like covering fire with cotton.

"Unemployment is emerging as the biggest problem in the country today. The situation is getting dire. Turning away from it is like covering fire with cotton," Varun, who has been critical of the BJP-led government on issues like economy, agriculture and unemployment, tweeted.

The critical tweet comes at a time when youth in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are on a warpath on the railway recruitment process. Several job aspirants were arrested during the protest. Uttar Pradesh is going to polls in seven phases between February 10 and March 7 while the counting of votes will be on March 10.

In the video he shared, a youth is heard talking about joblessness and criticising the way the protest over railway recruitment was handled. He also said that they will have to change those in power if their concerns are not addressed.

The youth went on to ask whether he had got a degree to sell pakoras. In January 2018, Modi had said that people earning Rs 200 a day by selling pakoras cannot be called unemployed. "If a person selling pakoras (snacks) earns Rs 200 at the end of the day, will it be considered employment or not?" Modi had said in an interview.

Modi's remarks in an interview attracted criticism from the Opposition ranks with leaders describing it as a "cruel joke". The 'pakora' analogy was later used by the Opposition to attack Modi and his government on the job front.

Varun has been critical of the BJP in the recent past over the farmers' issue and had demanded action against Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, who was linked to the killings of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri.

In an interview, Varun told DH earlier this week had said that identity politics – for example, identity ones with a focus on ethnicity, religion – takes centre-stage only when the government of the day, whether at state or the Centre, is unable to deliver on more important issues.

Also read: Populist policies have deeply damaged democracy: Varun Gandhi

"Sadly, the media has also helped the government of the day reinforce this narrative. It remains sad that select policymakers continue to consider policies and view elections as one of discord instead of amity; pursuing the 80% instead of the 100%," he had said.

His comments came against the backdrop of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath saying that the Assembly elections is a fight between the 80% vs 20%, in an apparent reference to the majority community and minority community. Muslims account for around 20% of UP's population.

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