Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over rising prices and unemployment in the country and said instead of releasing cheetahs, he should spend his time resolving unemployment crisis and issues related to increase in price of essential goods.
Addressing a massive rally as part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which culminated for the day at Cheppad near here, Gandhi said the Government of India was systematically attacking the small, medium businesses, farmers and the labourers.
He said two or three businessmen were controlling the entire wealth of the country, and they can enter into and squeeze out anyone from any business.
"The Government of India is systematically attacking the small and medium businesses, farmers and labourers. On one side, we have the highest unemployment and on the other side we have the highest price rise. People of India are going through tremendous pain. At the same time, the Prime Minister has brought eight cheetahs from Africa," Gandhi said.
"It's absurd. The problems of the nation are unemployment and prices. But the PM is releasing cheetahs in the wild. You imagine the Prime Minister should be spending his time resolving the unemployment crisis and resolving the price rise issues. But he is busy photographing cheetahs," Gandhi said.
Raising the issue of unemployment in the country, the Congress today organised various forms of protests including dance performances, street plays, banners during the yatra and observed Saturday as 'National Unemployment Day'.
Gandhi said the country's youth are dying by suicide because they cannot find a job.
"Imagine a country where our youngsters are committing suicide because they cannot find jobs. Imagine a country where two or three businessmen control the entire wealth. Any business they want to, they can enter and do it. They can squeeze anyone out of any business. Why? Because they are close to the leadership of the country," Gandhi said.
He said such businessmen close to the leadership of BJP are owning ports, airports, roads, telecommunication, power, agriculture and others.
"They can dominate any business. On one side, you have two or three business people and on the other side we have crores of Indian people who cannot get a job and suffer the indignity of higher prices and have to see their children go hungry. Crores and crores have fallen back into poverty due to this," the Congress leader said.
He said the BJP and the RSS have created an atmosphere of hate in the country but the streets of Kerala were free of it.
He said in Kerala he could see only love and affection and unity due to the preachings of social reformers like Sree Narayan Guru, Chattambi Swamikal and Mahatma Ayyankali.
"They preached love, affection and unity because they understood that it was important to have harmony in the society. Because without harmony there can be no progress," Gandhi said.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the Yatra has covered 201 kilometres till now.
"201 kms covered in 10 days.Bharat Yatris walked 20 kms since morning. Turnout of crowds to witness the yatra has continued to swell in numbers. The overriding issue throughout the day is one of the main themes of the #BharatJodoYatra unite to break the shackles of unemployment!," Ramesh tweeted.
As the 150-day long yatra entered Alappuzha district on Saturday, Gandhi interacted with students of Sabarmati Special school at Kayamkulam. He also attended a Youth Meet organised by the KPCC and discussed the issues of unemployment with a section of youngsters.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people gathered on either side of the National Highway to greet Gandhi.
Throughout the march today, Congress workers were seen protesting against unemployment in the country and a few protested by standing atop a building with their upper bodies painted 'National Unemployment Day'.
"42 per cent of youth in the age group of 20-24 years are unemployed. Even before the pandemic, India had the highest unemployment rate in 45 years. For the past few years, youth have been celebrating September 17 as 'National Unemployment Day'. #BharatJodoYatra Youth is moving in solidarity against the anti-Modi government," Ramesh had tweeted earlier in the day.
On Saturday morning, Gandhi kick-started the 10th day of the yatra with thousands of party workers accompanying him, waving party flags.
Senior Congress leaders Kodikkunnil Suresh, K Muraleedharan, K C Venugopal, Ramesh Chennithala and Leader of Opposition in state Assembly V D Satheesan, among others accompanied Gandhi.
The Congress party's 3,570 km and 150-day long foot march started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7 and will conclude in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which entered Kerala on September 10 evening, would traverse through the state covering 450 km, touching seven districts over a period of 19 days before entering Karnataka on October 1.