PM Modi, his friends 'broke backbone' of employment sector: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his friends have "broken the backbone" of India's employment.

Addressing an election rally in Amethi, the Wayanad MP said, "The backbone of India's employment sector has been broken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his friends. You'll see in the coming times, the youth of this country won't get employment, teach them however much you want. No one listened to me during COVID, but you saw bodies in Ganga."

As the first four phases of the seven-phased Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections have been completed and campaigning for the fifth phase is on, Rahul Gandhi finally hit the ground for electioneering in Amethi during the fifth phase of elections in the electorally crucial state.

The fifth phase of voting in Uttar Pradesh will take place on February 27 when 60 assembly constituencies will go to the polls.

Questioning the government's policies over not providing employment opportunities to the people, he said, "Why doesn't he (PM) talk about employment in his (election) speeches. When he comes to Uttar Pradesh, then why doesn't he tell the youth of the state that he will give them employment opportunities? Why doesn't he say that in 2014 he promised to give employment opportunity and how many people he gave employment to and in the coming times, he will give more employment to people."

In the backdrop of employment promises in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress MP further accused the Prime Minister of lying.

"When they (BJP) say nothing happened in our 70 years, they actually meant nothing happened for Ambani, Adani in these 70 years... remember, India's biggest billionaires do not give employment, small shopkeepers, traders, and farmers do," said Rahul Gandhi while slamming the government for not doing enough for the common man.

He also said that the Prime Minister promised to double farmers' income. "And then he implemented three black laws," he added.

The aim of these three (now repealed) agricultural laws, the Congress MP said is to "snatch away what the farmers are getting and give it to India's top billionaires."

With the first three phases of seven-phased Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections over and campaigning having ended for the fourth phase also, Rahul Gandhi finally hit the ground for electioneering in Amethi during the fifth phase of elections in the electorally crucial state.

The campaigning for the fifth phase of the election will end today. The fifth phase of the elections, which is scheduled to be held on February 27. In this phase, 60 Uttar Pradesh assembly seats across 11 districts including Amethi, Ayodhya, Bahraich, Barabanki, Chitrakoot, Gonda, Kaushambi, Pratapgarh, Prayagraj, Shrawasti and Sultanpur are scheduled to go to polls.