Bommagondanahalli (Karnataka) : The 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' of the Congress led by Rahul Gandhi resumed from Bommagondanahalli in Karnataka's Chitradurga district and headed towards Rampura on Thursday. Hundreds of people including Kumar Silja gathered on the roadside in the morning to welcome them.
According to Congress workers, the march started at 6.30 am from the BG Kere underpass in Bommagondanahalli. After walking 12 kilometres, Gandhi will take a break at Konasagara in the district. The march will then resume at 4 pm from Konasagara and stop for an evening break in Molakalmuru. After that, Gandhi will take a night halt in Rampura. The 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' entered Karnataka on September 30. It will cover 511 km in 21 days and exit the state on October 20. The Yatra which began on September 7th from Kanniyakumari has covered a distance of 925 km so far. It will pass through a total of 12 states, to culminate in J&K.
On Wednesday Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had categorically 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. He assured that his party upon coming to power would put in a strategy both at the national- and State-levels, which would ensure jobs for youngsters.
Interacting with around 1,800 youth from all over Karnataka on unemployment, as part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by him, he said it is public sector units that can give employment to the weaker sections. "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 also create special financial instruments to help young entrepreneurs to 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 also 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. PTI
