'Degree hai, job nahi': Congress workers fry Pakoda to protest against unemployment in WB

Targeting the Narendra Modi government on the issue of economic slowdown and unemployment in the country, Congress workers fried 'Pakodas' in Asansol on Sunday to protest against the Centre.

'Selling Pakodas as a mark of protest'

"We are here to raise our voice against the rising unemployment in the country. We are selling Pakodas as a mark of protest. We are raising our voice against the state and central government as they are responsible for the situation," said Sobik Mukherjee, a Congress worker. They were also seen holding banners "Degree hai, job Nahi" (We have Degrees but no jobs) Another poster read, "Highest unemployment in 45 years." 

On Thursday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not talking about the main issue of unemployment and "distracting" people by raising other things from Jawaharlal Nehru to Pakistan.

Hitting back at PM Modi after he replied to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in Lok Sabha, Gandhi said both the Prime Minister and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman have given long speeches in Parliament but have failed to reply on providing employment to youth.

'Youngsters saw, that the PM could not give a reply'

"All youngsters of this country want that after studies -- school, college university -- they get employment. We asked the Prime Minister repeatedly that you have given a one and a half-hour speech and if for two minutes you can tell the youth about employment and what your government has done about it," he said. "Youngsters saw, that the PM could not give a reply," the former Congress president said while speaking to reporters outside Parliament.

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PM Modi takes on Congress

Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a dig at Congress and stated that he will ensure that the party MPs remain unemployed. Replying in the Lok Sabha on the Motion of Thanks to the President's budget speech, PM Modi said he was thankful to the people of the country in reposing their trust in him to eradicate unemployment.

"Thank you for reposing your trust in me to eliminate unemployment. We will surely do it but what we will not do is we will not let you remain unemployed," said PM Modi. The Prime Minister's rebuttal came after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on him saying the youth would hit the PM with sticks in the next six months if he was unable to address the issue of unemployment in India.

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(With agency inputs)