Modi govt 'snatching away' reservation by 'blindly' privatising public sector: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi levelled accusations against the Modi government on Tuursday (April 2), alleging that it is covertly stripping reservations from Dalits, tribals, and backward classes through the indiscriminate implementation of privatisation. He insisted that his party pledges to fortify public sector enterprises and create ample employment opportunities.

In a post in Hindi on X, Rahul said the mantra of Narendra Modi's campaign to remove reservation is -- 'na rahega baans, na bajegi bansuri', meaning neither there will be government jobs nor any reservation will be available.

"The BJP government is clandestinely snatching away reservation from Dalits, tribals and backward classes by eliminating government jobs through 'blind privatisation'," the former Congress chief said.

In 2013, there were 14 lakh permanent posts in the public sector, which by 2023 stood at 8.4 lakh, he said.

"By ruining top PSU's like BSNL, SAIL, BHEL etc., nearly 6 lakh permanent jobs were eliminated from the public sector alone -- these are the very posts which would have given the benefit of reservation," Rahul said.

There is no count of the jobs that are being eliminated through the back door in institutions such as railways by giving government work on contract, he claimed.

"The 'privatisation' of the Modi model is a plunder of the country's resources, through which the reservation of the deprived is being snatched away," he alleged.

The Congress guarantees that it will strengthen the public sector enterprises and open the doors for employment for every section of the society by filling 30 lakh vacant government posts, Rahul said.

(With agency inputs)