Shameful Abdication of Responsibility

The Madhya Pradesh government has announced its decision to call the unemployed as “aakankshi yuva” or aspiring youth. Akin to calling the physically challenged as divyang this is another example of the party’s penchant for fanciful renaming, which would suggest their concern. Jobs are the basic institution of livelihood in an industrial and post industrial society and inability to find a job not only places financial distress but also deprives one from social role, recognition and dignity. It amounts to a negation of her social existence. The government’s claim that people working in family establishments even if registered with employment exchanges and portals wouldn’t be considered unemployed and also if the family income exceeds rupees 12646 they are not “aspiring youth “ any longer. This is adding insult to injury where the government is ridiculing them as aspiring. Is finding a job a matter of aspiration and not a given, an economy claiming to be the fastest growing in the world is unable to find jobs for its youth. The government also seems to repudiate the concept of unemployment in disguise altogether. While we are passing through the highest unemployment rates in our recorded economy the government is failing to deliver social security as well.