Youth Congress launches campaign to demand National Register for Unemployed

Amid a raging controversy over the National Register of Citizens (NRC), Youth Congress on Thursday made a strong pitch to the Modi government to create a database of the unemployed across the country and even launched a toll-free number for the purpose.

Youth Congress activists launched a nationwide campaign from the AICC headquarters here, to gather information about the jobless that could be used by the government to create a National Register of the Unemployed (NRU).

“NRU not NRC is our demand,” Youth Congress President Srinivas B V told reporters here, seeking to draw Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attention to reports citing the unemployment rate had reached a 45-year high in the country.

AICC Joint Secretary Krishna Allavaru, in-charge of Youth Congress, said that activists of the organisation would also visit households to collect data on joblessness, particularly the educated unemployed.

“The economic slowdown is a Modi-made disaster, which is a result of flawed policies such as demonetisation and the poor implemenation of the Goods and Services Tax,” Allavaru said.

“Every unemployed Indian can register themselves in the NRU, by giving missed call on a toll-free number – 8151994411. This register will reflect the true volume of Indians who are suffering from unemployment, due to this government’s inept and incompetent policies,” Srinivas said.

Youth Congress believes that the move would help highlight the plight of the unemployed youth, who have been protesting against the government policies at universities across the country.

Hitting out at Modi, Srinivas said the prime minister can witness the solar eclipse by donning expensive imported sunglasses, but cannot see the dark shadow of unemployment cast over the country.

“Youth Congress wants to know through which spectacles can he see the plight of unemployed youth of the nation,” Srinivas said.

Youth Congress spokesperson Amrish Ranjan said the campaign for NRU would continue till the end of the Budget Session of Parliament and the database of unemployed would be presented to the government.