BJP widening rich-poor gap instead of providing jobs: Sapkal

Mumbai, Sep 16 (PTI) Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Tuesday accused the BJP of widening the gap between rich and poor instead of providing jobs to unemployed youths.

He said that despite being out of power, the Congress has provided employment opportunities to hundreds of youths through job fairs.

Sapkal was speaking after inaugurating a job fair at Tilak Bhavan here, organised by the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee's employment department.

Around 75 companies from sectors, including IT, banking and insurance, participated in the fair, shortlisting hundreds of candidates.

"Unemployment is the country's biggest problem. Despite 2.5 lakh government vacancies in Maharashtra and more than 2.5 crore vacancies at the Centre, the BJP government has not filled them. Their promise of two crore jobs annually has vanished into thin air. Instead of creating jobs, the BJP is fostering exploitation while widening the gap between rich and poor," Sapkal alleged.

But despite being out of power, the Congress has provided employment opportunities to hundreds of youths through job fairs and it will organise similar fairs in every district of Maharashtra, he said.

He also asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is turning 75 on Wednesday, would abide by the "RSS's suggestion of entering 'vanaprastha ashram' at that age".

"Just as L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi were moved to the Margdarshak Mandal after 75, will Modi now follow this Rajdharma?" Sapkal asked.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar claimed that Maharashtra's unemployment rate has crossed eight per cent with jobs and investments shifting to other states under BJP rule. PTI MR NP