As Akhilesh joins Rahul yatra, crowd echoes message from stage: Unemployment a concern

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav at the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Agra. (Express photo by Amit Mehra)

“Agra is famous across the world. Those who are walking with this Mohabbat ki Dukan (a reference to Rahul’s yatra)… the love that is in the city, take it and distribute it throughout your yatra. In the times ahead, the challenge is to protect democracy and the Constitution,” the SP chief said, addressing the gathering from a podium in front of a statue of B R Ambedkar in Agra’s Tedi Baghia area.

Akhilesh’s presence at the yatra, and the show of strength along with Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, follows the seat-sharing pact sealed on February 21 under which the SP will contest 63 seats and the Congress 17 in Uttar Pradesh.

In his address to the gathering, in which many held flags of both parties, Rahul said, “This is the aim of the INDIA alliance, we are fighting for social, economic justice, justice for farmers… We have said that our government will give a legal MSP guarantee to farmers.”

“Our first and most important thing to do is to end hatred,” he said.

Akhilesh also referred to the dreams of the youth being shattered, and the youth being worried about employment and their degrees — something that was echoed by those in the crowd.

As Akhilesh walked up to the podium, Rani, a third year BA Hindi student, edged closer to the crowd for a better look. “We came for shopping, and weren’t able to leave because of the crowd, so we stayed to watch. The entire family votes for him (Akhilesh) and the Samajwadi Party. He is educated… those who study are losing out now, even if you look at what happened with the UP police exam,” she said, referring to the cancellation of the test on Saturday because of an alleged paper leak.

B S Baghel, 20, said he was receiving coaching for the UP Police exam and usually studies in a library across the road from where Rahul and Akhilesh addressed the crowd. With some establishments in the area downing shutters on Sunday, Baghel waited and watched as party workers addressed the crowd, talking about the “injustices” of the BJP government, “naujawanon ka haal” and the INDIA bloc, before the two leaders arrived.

“They are talking about jobs, but so did the BJP last time. This time, let’s see… there will be enthusiasm about the alliance at the start, but we will have to wait and see what it leads to,” Baghel said.

Nahim Ali, 24, said he had been preparing for the UP police exam for two years, and took it this year. “Now it has been cancelled. Where are we supposed to go for employment? Something needs to be done. The alliance is a good thing.”

Mohan Kumar, 26, who also said he took the UP police exam, said, “With the election coming up, they said they will have exams. We prepared and gave it. Now the paper has leaked, and all the effort we put in has gone to waste. There is an age limit for these exams, and people are left unemployed.”

A 28-year-old running a store selling wooden items, who watched the yatra as it passed through the area, also pointed to “sarkari naukri” and unemployment. “Rally kar rahe hain, toh kuch soch ke kar rahe hain. If educated people are still unemployed, there are certainly some shortcomings. Maybe those who talk about jobs might benefit from this,” he said.

As the yatra passed by roads lined with SP flags, and hoardings of Yadav, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, crowds watched from the way side and from balconies and rooftops. Among those who watched the yatra, there was uncertainty over whether the Congress-SP alliance will bring any significant benefit to the two parties in the upcoming elections, as well as a sense that the INDIA bloc might benefit if it is around for the long haul.

Sukhlal, 60, who runs a gas supply business, said, “It’s the first time that we are seeing such a big rally here. With the INDIA alliance, they might benefit in some way, since they are working towards it, but that might be visible only later and not immediately.”

With the alliance with SP, the Congress might be able to draw some benefit from the ally’s large network of party workers across the state, said Shakeel Khan, 52, a tuition teacher. “The SP has a big network of workers. That’s visible here today too. The Congress doesn’t seem to have that anymore,” he said.

“After 2019, it looks like people are more worried… There are problems of employment among educated people. Young people may not compromise on matters concerning their career. The alliance might bring them some advantage, maybe the BJP will lose some votes. But how much that will affect them, we don’t know,” he said.

Amar Singh Gautam, 56, who runs a store, said, “In this area, you have SC and Muslim votes. Even if Muslim voters choose the SP, without the BSP, an alliance of just the Congress and SP won’t work.”