SP members stage walkout from UP Assembly over unemployment issue

Members of the Samajwadi Party walked out of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Friday, the fifth day of the Monsoon session, over the issue of unemployment in the state.

During the Question Hour in the Vidhan Sabha, the SP members had asked the Minister of Labour and Employment Anil Rajbhar about the major employment schemes being implemented by the Labour Department at present and the number of educated unemployed youth in the state.

However, dissatisfied with Rajbhar's response, the SP members staged a walkout and raised anti-government slogans.

"Will the government, keeping the above details on the table of the House, tell the total number of educated unemployed -- Inter, BA, MA, Diploma, B.Tech, M.Tech, PhD degree holders -- in the state and how many of these people have been given jobs by the Labour Department in the last two years? If not, why?" asked SP MLA Sangram Yadav.

Responding to Yadav's question, Rajbhar said that the work of providing employment opportunities to job seekers is done by the State Employment Offices operated under the Employment Department. A system has been developed for online registration of job seekers and employers on the web portal of the Employment Department.

Hitting back at Yadav's allegation, the minister targeted the erstwhile Samajwadi Party government and started discussing employment fairs, citing the achievements of the Yogi Adityanath-led government.

Rajbhar said that from April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2022, 3,742 job fairs were organized and 5,74,587 candidates were given employment. From April 1, 2022 to May 31, 2023, 2,15,919 candidates were provided employment in two thousand job fairs.

After Rajbhar's response to the question, SP's Yadav said the minister was deviating from the real question by speaking about job fairs instead of giving information on educated unemployed in the state.

The MLA said the government is trying to bring a feudal system by outsourcing employees. He alleged that the government is against the people of backward class and Dalits.

Dissatisfied with Rajbhar's reply, the SP members staged a walkout, raising anti-government slogans. The members returned to join the House proceedings after 15 minutes.