Rahul Gandhi said public sector units give the weaker sections jobs. (File)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said he doesn't agree with rampant privatisation of government assets and that the party would not allow the privatisation of public sector units (PSUs) if and when voted to power.
The former AICC president, interacting with around 1,800 youth from all over Karnataka on unemployment as part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by him, said his party upon coming to power would put in a strategy both at the national and State-levels to ensure jobs for youngsters.
He later tweeted attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of unemployment stating: "PM's priorities are clear: It's not 2 crore jobs per year but 'PM ka PR & PM ke 2 Yaar'." "I don't agree with the rampant privatisation of government assets and if we are in power we will not allow the rampant privatisation of public sector units," Rahul Gandhi said during the interaction.
He said public sector units give the weaker sections jobs.
"Public sector units that are given the right space and right environment to operate in, that are given the freedom to operate properly, do perfectly well," he added.
AICC general secretary in-charge (Communications) Jairam Ramesh, general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala, State Congress president D K Shivakumar among others were present at the interaction.
Stating that there has to be a strategy for job creation, Rahul Gandhi said, "Jobs don't just get created like that, we will put in a strategy both at the national- and State-levels which will ensure that millions of youngsters get jobs."
At the first place, jobs can come in by filling vacancies in the government sector, and that is something his party is absolutely committed to, he said, "so the first place from where the large number of jobs can come from is healthcare and the education sector. The Congress government is going to spend much more money on public health and public education and these will be government jobs."
Further noting that the largest number of private sector jobs in the country come from small and medium businesses, and small traders, the Member of Parliament said his party when in power would have a much more balanced policy and support small and medium businesses, and give them access to finance from the banks.
"We will create special financial instruments to help young entrepreneurs build their own businesses, and, of course, as I'm speaking in Karnataka, it goes without saying that we will also look at outsourcing and IT and connecting India with the rest of the world and creating more of those types of jobs here," he added.
Rahul Gandhi asserted that a society that is not harmonious, not at peace and that is violent, cannot grow economically or give jobs to its youngsters and have a future.
Later sharing an edited video of his interaction, in a tweet, he said, "Met immensely talented youth, today. Some were engineers, some were MBAs, but all 'educated jobless'. PM's priorities are clear: It's not 2 crore jobs per year but 'PM ka PR & PM ke 2 Yaar'. What youth need instead is a job-creation strategy which will fulfil their aspirations."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)