National Unemployment Day on PM Narendra Modi’s Birthday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday today is being celebrated by the people of the country as ‘National Unemployment Day’. After the recent protests held for ‘5 minutes at 5 pm’ on September 5, and ‘9 minutes at 9 pm’ on September 9, the people of the country are protesting for 17 minutes at 17:00 hrs today, on September 17.

#राष्ट्रीय_बेरोजगार_दिवस
It's time to fight….Time to unite…Time to speak.

We want job !!!

We have the power to change the world. And we will change the world..?#17सितम्बर_राष्ट्रीय_बेरोजगार_दिवस #17Sept17Hrs17Minutes pic.twitter.com/CgD949iYkc

— Ashok Ambedkar (@AmbedkarAshok) September 11, 2020

The youth of Nation is highly disappointed with The BJP govt,we are having highest Unemployment rate,GDP growth rate is -23%. On every frontier the Govt has failed and insecurity among youth is increasing. :- @HarshBisaria #NationalUnemploymentDay pic.twitter.com/wOgg6Gg68P

— NSUI UP West (@NSUIUPWest) September 17, 2020

#NationlUnemploymentDay#राष्ट्रीय_बेरोजगार_दिवस#NationalUnemploymentDay #17Baje17Minute
Unemployment is more dangerous than COVID19 pandemic.
Employment is the right for youngsters. They will fight for their right.
Stop जुमेलाबाजी
Give रोज़गार@HansrajMeena @drmchakeri pic.twitter.com/PkjKUmwihm

— DhAnRaJ MeEnA (@drmchakeri) September 17, 2020

#NationalUnemploymentDay and #राष्ट्रीय_बेरोजगार_दिवस (National Unemployment Day) have both been the top trending hashtags on Twitter today as protestors express their views about the complete failure of the economy under the current government.

#NationlUnemploymentDay
– GDP fell -23.9%
– Unemployment rose 7.4%
– 20 PSU to be Sold
– 6 PSU to be Shut
– 1.89 crore Job lost
– China is threatening
– Corona Death rising
– Farmers protesting
Media: Lets discuss Rhea, Sushant.#NationalUnemploymentDay pic.twitter.com/jj9JeGhnDF

— Vaibhav Shukla (@Vaibhav23107369) September 17, 2020

Why are we celebrating this,#NationalUnemploymentDay#राष्ट्रीय_बेरोजगारी_दिवस#17Baje17Minute

This is the reason? pic.twitter.com/H4aUMUVcva

— Ganesh Ghoghra (@GaneshG_iyc) September 17, 2020

This is part of a recent wave of opposition to the Modi government, with the youth at the forefront, where thousands of people are expressing their discontent with the government. The government’s recent decision to conduct various exams in spite of widespread opposition and appeals from students began this wave a discontent, that has been further solidified by the effects of the massively mishandled pandemic, the record fall in the GDP of 23.9 percent, rising unemployment and inflation, and large-scale privatization.

Only peacocks are celebrating Mr. @narendramodi 's birthday as students, farmers and migrants have been decimated. The oppressive policies of BJP have wrecked havoc with lives of Indians.@NSUIPunjab#NationalUnemploymentDay pic.twitter.com/eLuglmXCii

— Akshay Sharma (@AkshaySharmaOrg) September 17, 2020

According to a report by Koustav Das on India Today, over 18.9 million salaried individuals or 21 per cent of the overall workforce had lost their jobs due to the pandemic as of July. Currently, 1 in every 10 people living in urban areas does not have a job. According to another report by Anand Patel, The National Sample Survey Office’s (NSSO) job survey for 2017-18 had shown a spike in the unemployment rate to over 6 per cent, the highest in 45 years, but the report was not released by the government, which termed it as a draft report. For the first time, there has been a huge reduction in regular salaried jobs as well, hitting the middle class more than before.

And yet, the government has turned a blind eye to the massive financial crisis looming in front of the country, choosing instead to focus on corporates and their profits. Amit Bhaduri writes,

“No matter lockdown or pandemic, the government changes labor and environmental laws to help the industry. It gave them tax break in terms of foregone government revenue which is almost double the money it spends today on MGNREGA…

The government is not interested in the economy. Instead, the government is interested in protecting and augmenting the fortune of its selected group of industrialist friends who in turn would help it in times of election.”

This irreverent expression of dissent on the birthday of the Prime Minister himself by such large numbers of people, unaffiliated with any groups, in the middle of a pandemic, would have been unthinkable even a few months ago, when Modi was still seen as an infallible, supreme, leader. The BJP IT cell is falling behind, and the will of people is making itself unapparent against the inhumanity of this government.