NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday posed three questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding unemployment , and criticised the government's approach to job creation .
Rahul specifically targeted the "Employment Linked Incentive" (ELI) scheme, alleging that despite its announcement before the 2024 election, the program remains undefined, with its allocated Rs 10,000 crores reportedly returned to the treasury.
“After the 2024 election, PM Modi announced the ‘Employment Linked Incentive’ scheme with much fanfare, promising to provide employment to our youth," Rahul said in a post on X.
“It’s been nearly a year since announcing the scheme, the government hasn’t even defined it, and has returned the Rs 10,000 crores allotted to it. This shows how serious the PM is about unemployment," he added.
The Congress leader argued that job creation cannot be achieved by favouring big corporates and sidelining India’s traditional skills and micro enterprises. “Jobs can’t be created by focusing only on large corporates, promoting cronies over fair-play businesses, prioritising assembly over production, and disregarding India’s indigenous skills,” he said.
Gandhi proposed that meaningful employment could only come through “large-scale investment in MSMEs, fair markets where competition can thrive, support for local production networks and youth equipped with the right skills.” But he added, “The PM won’t agree with these ideas.”
He asked the Prime Minister, “You announced ELI with great showmanship – but where has this Rs 10,000 crore scheme disappeared? Have you abandoned our unemployed youth along with your promises?”
He also questioned the sincerity of Modi’s broader economic agenda. “While you create new slogans every day, our youth are still waiting for real opportunities. What is your concrete plan to generate the crores of jobs India desperately needs, or is this just another jumla?”
Congress last month had launched the 'palayan roko naukri do' yatra in Bihar targeting the "unemployment in the province which is blamed for migration of young population on a large scale."
'Misinformation under the guise of cluelessness’: BJP hits back
The BJP sharply responded to Rahul allegations and accused him of “weaponising ignorance” to mislead young Indians. Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s IT cell, said Gandhi was either “poorly briefed” or deliberately distorting facts to “gaslight India’s youth.” He pointed to job creation figures, noting that under the Modi government, 17.19 crore jobs were generated between 2014 and 2024—compared to just 2.9 crore under the UPA’s decade-long rule.
Malviya added that youth unemployment had dropped from 17.8% in 2017–18 to 10.2% today, with employability rising from 34% in 2013 to nearly 55% in 2024. He also defended the government’s Employment Linked Incentive programme, citing the launch of the PM Internship Scheme, which has already attracted 3.9 lakh applicants.
“While the Modi government delivers on-ground programmes and measurable results, Rahul Gandhi continues with empty slogans and broken promises,” Malviya said, also taking a dig at Congress’ past record of “scams, corruption, and policy paralysis.”
Rahul specifically targeted the "Employment Linked Incentive" (ELI) scheme, alleging that despite its announcement before the 2024 election, the program remains undefined, with its allocated Rs 10,000 crores reportedly returned to the treasury.
“After the 2024 election, PM Modi announced the ‘Employment Linked Incentive’ scheme with much fanfare, promising to provide employment to our youth," Rahul said in a post on X.
“It’s been nearly a year since announcing the scheme, the government hasn’t even defined it, and has returned the Rs 10,000 crores allotted to it. This shows how serious the PM is about unemployment," he added.
The Congress leader argued that job creation cannot be achieved by favouring big corporates and sidelining India’s traditional skills and micro enterprises. “Jobs can’t be created by focusing only on large corporates, promoting cronies over fair-play businesses, prioritising assembly over production, and disregarding India’s indigenous skills,” he said.
Gandhi proposed that meaningful employment could only come through “large-scale investment in MSMEs, fair markets where competition can thrive, support for local production networks and youth equipped with the right skills.” But he added, “The PM won’t agree with these ideas.”
He asked the Prime Minister, “You announced ELI with great showmanship – but where has this Rs 10,000 crore scheme disappeared? Have you abandoned our unemployed youth along with your promises?”
He also questioned the sincerity of Modi’s broader economic agenda. “While you create new slogans every day, our youth are still waiting for real opportunities. What is your concrete plan to generate the crores of jobs India desperately needs, or is this just another jumla?”
After the 2024 election, PM Modi announced the "Employment Linked Incentive" scheme with much fanfare, promising to provide employment to our youth.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 11, 2025
It's been nearly a year since announcing the scheme, the government hasn't even defined it, and has returned the ₹10,000 crores…
Congress last month had launched the 'palayan roko naukri do' yatra in Bihar targeting the "unemployment in the province which is blamed for migration of young population on a large scale."
'Misinformation under the guise of cluelessness’: BJP hits back
The BJP sharply responded to Rahul allegations and accused him of “weaponising ignorance” to mislead young Indians. Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s IT cell, said Gandhi was either “poorly briefed” or deliberately distorting facts to “gaslight India’s youth.” He pointed to job creation figures, noting that under the Modi government, 17.19 crore jobs were generated between 2014 and 2024—compared to just 2.9 crore under the UPA’s decade-long rule.
Malviya added that youth unemployment had dropped from 17.8% in 2017–18 to 10.2% today, with employability rising from 34% in 2013 to nearly 55% in 2024. He also defended the government’s Employment Linked Incentive programme, citing the launch of the PM Internship Scheme, which has already attracted 3.9 lakh applicants.
“While the Modi government delivers on-ground programmes and measurable results, Rahul Gandhi continues with empty slogans and broken promises,” Malviya said, also taking a dig at Congress’ past record of “scams, corruption, and policy paralysis.”
Either Rahul Gandhi’s team has completely failed to brief him on the facts, or—far more likely—he’s weaponizing his trademark ignorance to gaslight India’s youth. This isn’t a gaffe; it’s a calculated strategy to distort reality, using his platform to spread misinformation under… https://t.co/7qRAbQ2TYv
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) April 11, 2025
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