Congress, BJP clash over viral video showing stampede-like situation for job interview in Gujarat

SURAT: A two-day-old viral video showing a stampede-like situation at a walk-in interview event in Ankleshwar town of Bharuch triggered a verbal duel between the opposition Congress and the ruling BJP. While the Congress said it had exposed the “Gujarat model,” the Bharatiya Janata Party claimed the former was trying to defame the state through the video.

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday, posted on social media that the “disease of unemployment” has taken the form of an epidemic in India.He alleged that the BJP-ruled states have become the “epicenter of this disease.”
In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, “The ‘disease of unemployment’ has taken the form of an epidemic in India, and BJP-ruled states have become the 'epicenter' of this disease.”
“The ‘future of India’ standing in queues for a common job is the reality of Narendra Modi’s ‘Amrit Kaal,’” the former Congress chief said.
His remarks came after the viral video showed a stampede-like situation when over 1,000 people turned up for walk-in interviews held for 40 vacancies in Ankleshwar on July 9. The interview was organized at a hotel by Thermax Chemicals.
Videos of a long queue, followed by pushing and shoving as job seekers tried to get a hold on a ramp leading to the entrance of a hotel where the interview was being held, went viral on social media. The railing of the ramp finally collapsed, leading to several aspirants falling off, though no one was injured.
The opposition Congress attacked the government over the unemployment situation in the state. State Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said that while there are thousands of vacancies in government jobs, the viral video from Ankleshwar is proof of the problems of unemployment in the private sector as well. “If there is a near stampede-like situation for employment in a place like Ankleshwar, where there are a large number of companies, the government should be held responsible for not generating enough employment opportunities,” Doshi said.
However, the ruling BJP government termed the opposition’s allegation as an attempt to defame Gujarat. Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi said claims that the individuals appearing for the interview were unemployed were baseless and this was an attempt to defame Gujarat.
“A viral video from Ankleshwar is attempting to defame Gujarat. The walk-in interview ad clearly states that experienced candidates are needed, implying that they are already employed. Thus, claiming that these individuals are unemployed is baseless,” Sanghavi posted on his X handle.
The interview was held for five different positions including shift in-charge (BE-chemical), plant operator (ITI-AOCP), supervisor-DCS (B.Sc/M.Sc/Diploma Chemical), fitter-mechanical (ITI-fitter), and executive-ETP (B.Sc/M.Sc). The company had asked candidates with 3 to 8 years of experience to come for the interview.