Modi Faces Criticism Over Unfulfilled Promises on Employment and Development

As India heads towards a crucial general election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is facing mounting criticism over his government's unfulfilled promises on employment and development. Despite India's impressive economic growth under Modi's leadership, the country continues to grapple with significant challenges, including jobless growth, high unemployment, and growing inequality.

At a recent rally in Bundala, Jalandhar, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) launched its election campaign by highlighting Modi's failure to deliver on his promise of creating 20 crore jobs annually. CPI(M) state secretary Sukhwinder Singh Sekhon pointed out that instead of generating employment, 45 lakh youth have become unemployed during Modi's tenure. Sekhon also criticized the government for privatizing public assets, introducing electoral bonds to legalize corruption, and misusing constitutional institutions for political gain.

The opposition alliance led by the Indian National Congress and regional parties is hoping to tap into issues like high unemployment, inflation, corruption, and low agricultural prices that have driven protests against the Modi government. The Congress party has accused the government of neglecting the interests of sugarcane farmers in Uttar Pradesh, with prices for sugarcane remaining low despite rising costs for farmers. They claim that the area under sugarcane cultivation has decreased by 4,000 hectares in the last three years, and mills are struggling to pay farmers on time, threatening their livelihoods.

Why this matters: The outcome of the Indian general election will have significant implications for the country's future direction, both domestically and on the global stage. As the world's largest democracy and a rising economic power, India's political stability and policy choices will impact not only its 1.4 billion citizens but also its regional and international partners.

While Modi's supporters see him as a strong leader who has boosted India's global stature and implemented transformative policies, his critics argue that his Hindu nationalist agenda and authoritarian tendencies have undermined India's democratic institutions and social fabric. The election will test the limits of Modi's political dominance and the resilience of India's pluralistic democracy in the face of rising polarization and economic challenges.

Jayaprakash Hegde, the Congress candidate for the Chikkamagaluru-Udupi constituency, expressed dissatisfaction with the Central Government's promises made prior to coming to power in 2014. "The government has failed to generate the promised 30,000 jobs within one year of assuming office, even after ten years," Hegde said. He also questioned the feasibility of the government's claims of contributing 15 lakhs to every citizen's account through black money, given the current state of the nation's finances.

Key Takeaways

• Modi faces criticism over unfulfilled promises on jobs, development in India.
• CPI(M) highlights 45 lakh youth unemployed under Modi, criticizes privatization.
• Opposition targets Modi on issues like unemployment, inflation, corruption.
• Outcome of Indian election to impact country's domestic, global direction.
• Congress candidate questions feasibility of govt's claims on black money.