Straight Line News Network
JAMMU, July 1: In a unique symbolic protest to unfold the suffering of unemployed youth in J&K, Youth Wing, Apni Party today protested by selling vegetables to express their anguish over the increasing unemployment among the educated youth.
In a statement to the press, the youth wing led by Vice President Youth Wing, J&K, and Media Coordinator Raqeeq Ahmed Khan, General Secretary Youth Wing, J&K, Abhay Bakaya, District President, Youth Wing, Jammu, Shivam Choudhary, and others assembled outside the Press Club, Jammu.
As a mark of protest, the protesters comprising of Ph.D scholars, LLB, B. Tech students and Engineers sold vegetables to showcase lack of Govt. jobs for the unemployed youth. They were shouting slogans while holding vegetables as a mark of protest at the Exhibition Ground outside the Press Club, Jammu. While protesting in support of unemployed youth of J&K, they appealed to the Govt. to provide them employment opportunities by advertising all the over 1.5 lakh vacant posts in different Departments.
“There are large number of vacancies in different Govt. Depts. However, the laxity is being shown to disclose the total number of vacancies and refer them to the recruitment agency. The unemployment has increased among the educated youth to an unexpected level and the youth is in frustration,” said Raqeeq Ahmed Khan during the protest.
The protesters were shouting slogans in support of their demands and urged the Govt. to advertise the vacancies for their recruitment. Khan said that thousands of students pass out from the colleges and universities and other professional institutions. With lack of recruitment process, the frustration among the youth due to unemployment is growing. The Govt. must step in and order the recruitment of all vacant posts in different departments.
“Unemployed youth have been compelled to sell vegetables, drive auto, and working as construction workers due to non-advertisement of vacant posts,” Khan added. He said that there are vacancies in over 60 Govt. Departments but they are not advertised. Youth Wing, General Secretary, Abhay Bakaya said that the educated youth are becoming over-aged with not much scoop in the Govt. jobs. “The private sector has seen a decline due to covid pandemic from last two years. The unemployment has affected the youth psychologically,” he said.
He said that “There is a need to channelize the energy of youth towards the right directions. We should have a counselling programmes for such youth. Govt. should reserve jobs for local youth in industrial sector, hydro-electric, horticulture, and tourism sector and provide adequate counselling to the unemployed youth.” He also said that “If the Govt. can’t provide jobs in Govt sector, they should give an alternative. They have to think out of box. They should give incentives to BPOs so that they can operate in Jammu and Kashmir. As we know that BPO industry has changed the fortune of Gurugram by providing so many jobs to the youth. And, these industries have made Pune and Bangalore IT hubs with many job opportunities.”
Meanwhile, District President, Youth Wing, Urban, Jammu, Shivam said that “The employment opportunities have reduced as it has given birth to many issues among the unemployed youth.” He also spoke on various issues and said that they will continue to fight for the rights of the unemployed youth.
