Mumbai, June 24: The younger son of Industries Minister Narayan Rane and Youth Congress leader Nitesh Rane launched a 16-point agenda on Tuesday to empower youth, provide employment opportunities and promote Marathi culture.
“We want to stop the politics on the issue of Marathi youths. We want the youths to enter government services and not limit themselves to selling vada pavs,” Rane said on the occasion of his 28th birthday, releasing the agenda through his organisation Swabhiman. “Marathi manoos don’t want to do small jobs which the north Indians are doing like driving taxi or selling fruits and vegetables. There are a number of educated Marathi youths who are not given proper guidance and therefore could not get good jobs.”
Accordingly, the organisation has begun conducting seminars to inform the youth of government job opportunities, details on examinations, form availability and interview counselling. The first session was held in Dadar and these will be held in Dombivli, Pune, Navi Mumbai and across the state in the coming days. It will also provide vocational training on skilled jobs for uneducated youths.
Referring to the tactics of Shiv Sena and MNS, Rane said while many political parties have used the youths to raise their popularity, not many have bothered to check how much their agitation had benefited them. “How many Marathi youths got jobs in Railway after the MNS attack? We do not want to make false promises, but help the youth so that they actually benefit from the opportunities.”
When asked if the Congress will fight for the rights of the sons-of-soil the way MNS did during railway examination by targeting the north Indian migrant students, Rane said his party did not believe in violent means. “We do not want to launch a violent agitation and ensure jobs for Marathi youths. We know they are talented and meritorious and we propose to give them guidance and counselling that can help them to find jobs.”
He said the MNS had helped in splitting the Sena votes in the Lok Sabha election. “But how long will the MNS’s hollow promises work. People will soon realise that agitations and protests should lead to results and they will make a right choice.”
—–Agencies