JOBLESSNESS NOW AN EPIDEMIC: RAHUL

New Delhi, NT Bureau: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday claimed that the "disease of unemployment" has taken the form of an epidemic in India, and alleged that the BJP-ruled states have become the "epicentre of this disease".

His remarks came over the incident of a stampede-like situation witnessed after some 800 people turned up for walk-in interviews held by a firm for 40 vacancies in Ankleshwar in Gujarat's Bharuch district.

Videos of a massive queue, marked by pushing and shoving aspirants tried to get a toehold on a ramp leading to the entrance of a hotel where the interview was being held, went viral on social media.

The railing of the ramp finally collapsed, leading to several aspirants falling off, though no one was injured. In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, "The 'disease of unemployment' has taken the form of an epidemic in India and BJP-ruled states have become the 'epicentre' of this disease."

"The 'future of India' standing in queues for a common job is the reality of Narendra Modi's 'Amrit Kaal'," the former Congress chief said.