Central ministers rubbing salt into the wounds of unemployed youth with their statements: BSP

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) spokesperson Sudhindra Bhadoria on Sunday said that Union Minister Santosh Gangwar was "rubbing salt into the wounds" of the unemployed youth by saying that there was a lack of "qualified youth" in the country.

"The statement of the labour minister is coming at a time when the unemployment problem is very acute. It is like rubbing salt into the wounds of the youth of the country, the doctors, engineers and so many professionals coming out of colleges and other institutions of the country are feeling the pain of unemployment problems," Bhadoria told ANI here.

"When a minister of the Central government makes such a statement he ridicules the entire youth and student force of the country," Bhadoria added.

Earlier yesterday, Gangwar had said that there is a lack of qualifications among North Indian candidates, while there is no dearth of opportunities.

"I want to say that there is no dearth of job opportunities in the country. Those who come for recruitment in north India often complain that they are unable to find the quality in candidates required for the post they are hiring for," said Gangwar, MoS (Independent Charge), Ministry of Labour and Employment, while addressing a press conference on Saturday.

Bhadoria then alleged that unemployment was at its highest level in the country since Independence.

"I must say that today unemployment problems are the highest in this country and the youth suffering the maximum since the post-independence era," Bhadoria said.

Gangwar, however, later issued a clarification stating that he had made the statement in the context of giving skill training to the youth.

"I had spoken that in a different context. I said there is a lack of skill and our government has started a Skill Development Ministry to assure that the youths are given training as per the requirements of the job. That is how the work is going on," Gangwar told ANI on Sunday.