Week after meeting porters, Rahul posts video, flags ‘record unemployment’
The Congress leader spent a long time with the porters at Anand Vihar railway station in Delhi on September 21 and posted a video of his interaction with them
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (September 27) shared a video of his interaction with railway porters in Delhi, in which he flagged issues of “record unemployment” and “back-breaking inflation” plaguing them.
Rahul spent a long time with the porters at the bustling Anand Vihar railway station in east Delhi on September 21 and discussed their problems with them. The former Congress president said although the porters have no salary, no pension, no health insurance and no government facilities, they live in the hope that "times will change".
"I met them and interacted for long during which got to know their lives closely and understood their struggles," Rahul was quoted as saying in a statement released by the Congress party.
"Coolies are among the most hardworking people of India. From generation to generation, they spend their lives helping millions of travellers in their journey,” he said.
Praises porters
“That badge on the arm of many people is not just an identity, it is also a legacy they have received. There is a share of responsibility for them, but there is very little progress for themselves.
"Today, lakhs of educated youth in India are trying to earn their livelihood by working as porters at railway stations. Reason? Record unemployment. The literate citizen of the country is struggling to earn two meals a day," Rahul said.
The Congress MP said the porters earn ₹400-500 a day, which does not even cover household expenses. Savings are ruled out.
"Reason? Backbreaking inflation. Food is expensive, accommodation is expensive, education is expensive, health is expensive - how can they survive? They are not paid employees of Indian Railways. There is no salary, no pension!" he said.
The porters informed Rahul about their problems such as lack of shelter facilities and pension. Some claimed to have engineering degrees and said they worked as porters because they had no job.
Rahul briefly put on the porters’ trademark red shirt and lifted a luggage over his head.
Rajasthan government
A porter whose family is in Rajasthan said his mother received free treatment worth ₹60,000 under the Chiranjeevi Yojana of the Congress government in the state.
"But they are not getting any facility from Modi government. Both the government and the media are ignoring those who bear the burden of the country," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said.
(With agency inputs)