The Hindu : National : Salvo against UPA on jobs front

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Sunday, May 29, 2005

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National

Salvo against UPA on jobs front

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Criticising the United Progressive Alliance Government for failing to bring in the Employment Guarantee Act (EGA), the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) on Saturday accused it of being "dishonest" in its policies.

Announcing a nationwide agitation in protest against unemployment from this coming July, the Federation said the UPA Government was following the same policies that had brought in criticism for the previous Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

"The UPA Government recently completed one year. In the beginning of its tenure, the Government had described employment as the most important issue that needed to be resolved. But a year later, they seem to be only following what the earlier government did. Although some initiatives have been taken because of the Left compulsion, the policy is almost the same as that of the NDA,'' said the DYFI president, K.N.Balagopal, at a press conference.

A statement by the Central Executive Committee following a two-day meeting held on May 26 and 27, the DYFI said it has demanded that the Government give up the targeted form of the EGA and make it universal.

"Employment guarantee does not affect just rural Indians. It is applicable to residents of urban citizens too and we would like the Government to soon introduce it for all,'' he said.

While announcing that a march would be taken out nation-wide at the district and State levels by its members on September 15, Mr. Balagopal said to further popularise the campaign, State level conventions and jathas on employment would be held on July 15.

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