Churning out reels not enough to please youth, they need jobs: Congress

The Congress on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Modi government, accusing it of failing to address what it described as a deepening employment crisis gripping India’s youth. The Opposition party alleged that flawed economic policies and a lack of job creation have left millions struggling for opportunities, while the government remains focused on image-building rather than solutions.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed that the country’s job market was facing a serious downturn, citing a decline in fresh hiring by some of India’s largest listed companies. Sharing a media report on X, Ramesh said the slowdown in recruitment was evidence of the wider challenges confronting young job seekers.

According to the report cited by the Congress leader, new hiring among major companies in the Sensex-30 index has slowed significantly, with recruitment by 11 large firms falling during the 2025-26 financial year compared with 2023-24.

"What we have been saying repeatedly is proving to be true. The Modi government has inflicted deep damage on the country's economy, and its most severe fallout has been on the youth," Ramesh said in a post on X.

Highlighting the reported decline in employment opportunities, he said a 27 per cent drop in new jobs across several top companies reflected a larger employment challenge facing the nation.

Ramesh accused the government of denying the seriousness of the issue instead of taking corrective steps. He argued that if large corporations were witnessing a slowdown in hiring, the situation in the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector could be even more difficult.

"This news is just the tip of the iceberg," Ramesh said, claiming that MSMEs were bearing the impact of what he called the government's misguided economic approach.

The Congress leader further alleged that the government was prioritising "headline management" and distraction politics over meaningful action to tackle unemployment. He said young Indians were seeking concrete opportunities rather than publicity campaigns.

"The country's youth are discerning. To please them, it won't be enough to churn out reels — they need jobs to be created," Ramesh said, in a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent social media activity.

The remarks come amid a broader political battle over employment, with the opposition repeatedly making job creation a central issue and the government highlighting its economic initiatives, entrepreneurship programmes and welfare measures as evidence of growth and opportunity.

With PTI inputs