Congress attacks Modi government over inflation, joblessness among graduates

The Congress party launched a fresh offensive against the central government on Tuesday, linking economic distress to unemployment in a pointed critique of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies. Senior party leaders flagged the sharp increase in prices of essential food items including sugar, onions, and milk as evidence of economic mismanagement affecting households across India.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge posed a pointed question to the government: where are the employment opportunities for India's graduates? The party cited statistics indicating that young people aged 20 to 29 years with tertiary education account for 67 per cent of the nation's unemployed population, suggesting that educational advancement is not translating into job prospects.

The twin concerns of inflation and joblessness have emerged as central issues in the opposition's political messaging ahead of upcoming electoral contests. Congress leaders argue that the government has failed on both economic fronts, creating a squeeze on household budgets while simultaneously failing to generate meaningful employment for the country's educated youth.

The party's arguments reflect broader public concerns about the job market's capacity to absorb India's expanding pool of graduates and mounting pressure on consumer finances from persistent price increases in food and essential commodities.