After creating a political tremor in Madhya Pradesh by announcing scholarships for students from classes I to XII, the Congress on Saturday said the BJP government had destroyed the future of youth in this shameful phase of recruitment scams, unemployment and suicide.
The Congress on Saturday painted a grim scenario of the education and recruitment system in Madhya Pradesh. “Much like land mafia, sand mafia, liquor mafia, even an education mafia was allowed to flourish in the state over the last two decades,” said party spokesperson Shobha Oza, reeling out a series of scams in recruitment.
Addressing a news conference in Delhi, she said: “While examinations are not held on time and results are delayed, there are countless scams — Vyapam, teachers, police, nursing, patwari…. Posts of a patwari were sold for Rs 15 lakh and that of a constable for Rs 8 lakh. The extent of distress can be imagined through this disturbing fact that for 6,000 posts of patwaris, there were 12 lakh applicants, including four lakh engineers, MBA and PhD holders.”
Explaining the depth of the unemployment crisis, she said: “Over 17,000 youths have committed suicide in the last 18 years of BJP rule. Over 34.76 per cent youths between 20 and 24 are not getting jobs. In the age group of 25-29 years, 15 per cent are jobless. Among women, 82 per cent are unemployed. In 7,793 schools, there is only one teacher each. In 2,621 schools, there is no teacher. Over 36,000 schools don’t have electricity.”
The Congress sensed an opportunity here and expanded the scope of its welfare schemes by including scholarships for students at all levels. While the Congress guarantees earlier included Rs 1,500 per month for every woman and a gas cylinder for Rs 500, the state unit asked Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to announce at the public rally in Mandla two days ago scholarships for all students. It is more of an incentive for education because scholarship is normally merit-based.
Priyanka announced the Padho-Padhao scheme in which students from classes I to VIII will get Rs 500 per month, from classes IX to X Rs 1,000 per month and from classes XI to XII Rs 1,500 per month. That the announcement was not well planned was reflected in the confusion in Priyanka’s mind about whether the cash incentive was monthly or yearly. She, however, asserted through a tweet that there was no confusion and the party was committed to making the payments.
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan too was taken aback and said the Gandhi family cheats the country but Kamal Nath can cheat the family as well. He blasted the Congress for fooling the people by making unreasonable promises, arguing that they knew that neither their government would come, nor would they have the liability to pay. The BJP was so rattled by the announcement that they petitioned the Election Commission, seeking action against Priyanka for making the outlandish promise in violation of the model code of conduct.
Asked how can a deeply indebted state fulfil such promises, Oza said: “The education system is in tatters and we have to ensure that our children study. What Priyankaji announced will be part of our manifesto. We have fulfilled promises made in the past. As far as complaint to the Election Commission is concerned, the BJP should explain why its advertisements and billboards are talking about the release of the next instalment under the Ladli Behna scheme.
