Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a blistering attack on the Modi government on Thursday, alleging that it is undermining reservation benefits for Dalits, tribals, and backward classes through aggressive privatization policies. In a social media post, Gandhi criticized the government’s purported strategy of diminishing government jobs, which he argued undermines the principles of reservation and reduces opportunities for marginalized communities.
“The BJP government is surreptitiously stripping away reservation from Dalits, tribals, and backward classes by eradicating government jobs through ‘blind privatization’,” Gandhi asserted in his post.
He highlighted a significant decline in permanent positions in the public sector from 14 lakhs in 2013 to a mere 8.4 lakhs by 2023, citing major PSUs like BSNL, SAIL, and BHEL as casualties of this trend. Gandhi emphasized that nearly 6 lakhs permanent jobs in the public sector, eligible for reservation benefits, have been lost due to what he termed as ‘blind privatization.’
Gandhi also criticized the practice of outsourcing government work in institutions like Railways, arguing that these informal jobs are not reflected in official statistics.
The Congress leader condemned the Modi government’s privatization approach as a means of “plundering” the country’s resources and diluting reservation benefits for marginalized sections.
Gandhi affirmed that the Congress party is committed to fortifying the public sector and creating employment opportunities for all segments of society. He pledged to fill 30 lakhs vacant government positions, underscoring a commitment to enhancing job prospects and safeguarding reservation rights for marginalized communities.