NSUI activists take to streets over lack of jobs

Tribune news service

Dehradun, July 31

Accusing the Modi government at the Centre and the state BJP government of failing to provide employment to the youth, the National Students Union of India (NSUI) members led by their national president Firoz Khan on Tuesday staged a rally in Dehradun, which also witnessed minor skirmishes between the police and protesters.

The NSUI workers in large numbers from the city and adjoining areas of Doiwala, Mussoorie and Rishikesh gathered at the state Congress headquaters on the Rajpur road and proceeded towards the Chief Minister’s residence.

The police prevented the NSUI workers from proceeding ahead of Hathibarkla Chowk resulting in skirmishes between the police and the protesters. Several NSUI workers climbed the barricading and tried to proceed further forcing the police to use water cannons. Addressing the NSUI workers, Firoz Khan asserted that the Modi government had promised to provide jobs to a large number of youth every year, but had failed to fulfil its promise. “The Modi government at the Centre even after completing four years in office had failed to fulfil its promise of providing jobs to two crore youth every year”, he pointed out. 

Uttarakhand NSUI president Mohan Bhandari also charged the state BJP government of showing little commitment towards creating employment opportunities for the youth . 

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Congress president Pritam Singh condemned the use of force against the NSUI workers. He alleged that the BJP government by using force against peaceful protesters had shown its undemocratic face. He accused the BJP of having least regard for democratic norms.